Far-right Vlaams Belang polls higher than ever in Belgium
Ahead of Belgian elections in June, the far-right party Vlaams Belang is polling at just under 28 per cent in Flanders, its highest-ever result.
With just 100 days to go before Belgium holds regional, national and European elections, the party is consolidating its position as the largest in both Flanders and Belgium as a whole.
The new poll, published on Friday, was conducted by the University of Antwerp on behalf of the media outlets De Standaard and VRT NWS. The university polled 2,029 residents of the Flemish region.
The results reflect the rise of the far right in Belgium and show that more moderate right-wing parties continue to lose ground. The Flemish nationalist party N-VA, the largest party in Flanders in the 2019 elections, fell below 20 per cent in the latest poll.
After Vlaams Belang and the N-VA, the Flemish socialist party Vooruit is the third largest party, although it is a long way behind with 13.7 per cent. For the Flemish Christian democratic party CD&V, the steady decline in the polls seems to have come to an end. The party is polling at 11.3 per cent, well below its 2019 election result, but much better than in previous years.
The far-left PVDA is polling at 10.7 per cent, doubling its 2019 election result. Open VLD, the Flemish liberal party of Belgian prime minister Alexander De Croo, is stranded at 9 per cent. The Flemish green party Groen is polling at 8.2 per cent.
Also noteworthy are the shifts between the parties. N-VA seems to be losing votes massively to Vlaams Belang, but there are also losses to Vooruit and even PVDA. N-VA wins voters from both CD&V and Open VLD, while Vlaams Belang wins on almost all sides and loses on none.
The poll was conducted before Belgium was gripped by large-scale farmer protests. The poll's margin of uncertainty also leaves room for different party rankings. If CD&V gets its maximum score and Vooruit its possible minimum score, for example, CD&V will take the third spot.
#FlandersNewsService | Vlaams Belang leader Tom Van Grieken at a party congress in Antwerp in December 2023 © BELGA PHOTO KRISTOF VAN ACCOM
Related news
