Belgium’s Far Right Rises in Polls, Raising New Fears of Political Paralysis
- Flemish separatist party tops 27% support in recent poll
- Mainstream politicians have shunned the anti-immigration party
Tom Van Grieken
Photographer: Kurt Desplenter/AFP/Getty ImagesThis article is for subscribers only.
A far-right separatist party in Belgium’s Dutch-speaking region that was once relegated to the fringes is gaining more mainstream support ahead of national elections in June, which could make it even harder to govern the fractured country.
Vlaams Belang, which has long called for the Flanders region to secede from Belgium, is surging in popularity in the country’s Dutch-speaking north, notching more than 25% in three different polls this year. In the most recent poll released last week, conducted by Ipsos, it got 27.4% in Flanders.