While changing a surname is currently a long, expensive and uncertain procedure, a new bill put forward by the Belgian green parties is hoping to ease this process.
Everyone will be given the right to change their surname once in a lifetime if they switch to their other parent’s family name or a combination of both. A bill to this effect was approved by the Parliamentary Justice Committee on Wednesday.
"At the moment, a change of surname is only possible for serious reasons or in exceptional cases, and if you want the change, it has to be requested as a favour from the Justice Minister," Stefaan Van Hecke (Groen), who proposed the bill, said. "In short, the procedure is totally out of date."
Hundreds of Belgians go through the process of changing their name every year, while last year, a total of 1,120 people changed their surname. "Society is changing, and the law has to adapt to that," Van Hecke said.
Van Hecke especially wants to modernise the process according to people's current social needs, referring to people who want to change their surname in very difficult family circumstances but are then faced with the complications of the procedure.
"Changing your name should be a right and you no longer have to justify your own choice," he explained.
