When did Flemish become Belgium's second official language?

Flemish, which is the term often used by English speakers to refer to the Dutch language as spoken in Belgium, became the country's second official language in 1898.12

Prior to this, the Flemish movement had spent decades advocating for the cultural and political equality of Flemish speakers, who had been marginalized in a society dominated by French-speaking Walloons following Belgium's independence in 1830. By the late 19th century, the language had already been introduced into the administration and courts of Flemish-speaking areas, culminating in its official recognition as the nation's second language.13