Are European countries really successful in uniting the population around a common language? New data shows Europe’s language map is changing rapidly — and now you can see it in just a few clicks.
Europe is currently experiencing an intensive linguistic transformation. Philosopher Philip Van Paris calls its linguistic revolution. Over the past three decades, the linguistic landscape of the continent has changed so dramatically that such an assessment is no exaggeration. From now on, we can see the extent of language changes thanks to the new version of the interactive resource Languageknowledge.eu, which visualizes Eurobarometer-2024 data collected by the European Commission.
The portal shows the native language of the residents of each of the 27 EU countries and which languages they learned later. It is especially interesting to trace how language skills change in three age groups: youth (15–34), middle age (35–54) and seniors (55+). For comparison, you can also view the results of the 2012 survey.
Are monolingual countries more stable?
According to the data, linguistic unity in EU countries has weakened almost everywhere over the past 12 years. Only six states have been able to maintain or achieve that 98% of their population is fluent in the state language. This is not surprising for Hungary, where the national language is spoken by the majority from birth. But much more interesting is the example of Germany, where the share of German speakers does not reach 90%, but the country managed to achieve a high level of German proficiency among immigrants.
At the opposite pole are Latvia (88%), Estonia (82%), Luxembourg (89%) and, by a large margin, Belgium, where less than 66% of the population speak the state language well.
This is partly due to history: in Luxembourg and Belgium, the most widely spoken language is French, which is not the mother tongue of the majority and is not the only official language. However, French has long-standing legal status in Luxembourg, while in Belgium it is only one of the three official languages. This nuance affects the level of linguistic integration and national unity.
English is a clear winner
If we talk about mastering foreign languages, then English is definitely in the lead. Among the youngest generation, it surpassed German, French and even Spanish. And this despite the fact that Great Britain is no longer a member of the European Union. English remains the only language that is significantly more frequently mastered by the younger generation throughout the EU.
Infographic: IA “FACT”
In 2024, more than a third of the population of the European Union claims to speak English well (only 2.5% speak English as their native language). For comparison: 25% speak German well, 20% speak French. This facilitates communication and integration within Europe, but at the same time promotes a brain drain to English-speaking countries.
Belgium: language leader among “outsiders”
The most interesting situation is in Belgium. In a country where English is not official, it may become the most recognized language in the coming years. In 2024, English took first place among young people, ahead of French and Dutch. This happened mainly because of the decline in the popularity of French in Flanders.
Infographic: IA “FACT”
Currently, only 49% of Belgians speak English — less than in Sweden (76%) or the Netherlands (86%). But it is linguistically divided Belgium, not these high-level English-speaking countries, that is on its way to becoming the first EU state where English will be the majority language.
Eastern Europe: the language front of the hybrid war
At the same time, the most profound language shifts are taking place in the east of Europe. In nine countries that were once part of the Soviet sphere of influence, Russian has been almost completely displaced in recent decades, and English is now rapidly growing in popularity. In three states, the new generation no longer studies the Russian language at all. In most cases, the level of English knowledge among young people has increased 10 times compared to older age groups.
This is not only a cultural, but also a geopolitical transformation. It took place without orders and repressions, but it has no less profound consequences. History shows: weapons change borders, languages fix them. It is not for nothing that the Russian and Ukrainian authorities put so much effort into language policy in Donbas and Crimea.
Infographic: IA “FACT”
Europe is changing – language by language
Thanks to the new open data of the European Commission, we can now not only hypothetically imagine, but also visually see how Europe is changing – linguistically, culturally, politically. This can become a starting point for serious conversations in national parliaments and in the European one.
Will English really become the new “Latin” of Europe? And what will happen to linguistic identity when national languages cease to be a common basis for citizens? The answers to these questions are not in the future. They are forming right now.
