Belgium shifted to the right in Sunday’s election, but an expected extremist landslide didn’t happen.
The far-right separatist Vlaams Belang party, which had led the polls in recent months, grabbed 21 percent of Flemish votes Sunday — but failed to overtake its Flemish conservative rivals New Flemish Alliance (N-VA), which became Belgium’s biggest party with around 25 percent of Flemish votes.
Belgium’s mainstream had been bracing for a far-right win in the north, with voters endorsing a plan to break up the country in just a few years and Vlaams Belang riding a wave of European far-right forces doing well across member countries in the June 6-9 EU election.
Belgian here. It’s about money and racism. Flanders (north) makes more money and has a higher employment rate. The separatist movement aims to put Flanders’ wealth first.
Foreigners are perceived to threaten our way of life and are perceived to cost money too. Vlaams Belang has been rather controversial in their statements earlier with a new young team creating some uproar. Both claim to benefit the Flemish citizen and will create better jobs with higher incomes.
Far left also gained ground so we are becoming more polarised.