Elections 2024: One in five young people will vote for far-right Vlaams Belang
Vlaams Belang is the most popular party among Flemish young people for the second time in a row, according to a survey by Humo, published on Tuesday. Vlaams Belang leader Tom Van Grieken is also the most popular politician among Flemish youth.
The Flemish magazine Humo surveyed 1,000 16- to 25-year-olds living in Flanders. 22 percent - 34 percent of boys, 11 percent of girls - say they will vote for the far-right Vlaams Belang in Sunday's local elections. Vooruit (13 per cent) and N-VA (12 per cent) complete the top three. The far-left PVDA has seen a surge in popularity, rising from 4 per cent in 2020 to 11 per cent in 2024.
Pessimism
Today's youth is much more negative about migration. Although one in two admit that Belgium needs migration to maintain its prosperity, 46 per cent of young people also believe that Flanders should not accept any new migrants, compared to 25 per cent in 2020.
In addition, 46 per cent see Islam as a threat to our culture, while 51 per cent think that migrants take advantage from our social security. This is a stark difference from the 2020 survey, when these were 23 per cent and 32 per cent respectively.
Young people are also pessimistic about their future. 47 per cent fear that by the age of 40 they will be worse off than their parents when it comes to housing. They also lack hope about job security (39 per cent) and the environment (55 per cent). 69 per cent are also concerned about climate change, and just one in two believe it can be stopped.
#FlandersNewsService | © BELGA PHOTO DIRK WAEM
Related news
