Flanders' leading politician has suggested that achieving independence for Belgium's Dutch-speaking region will not feasible in the short-term owing to insufficient support for such a measure among the Flemish population.
"The first condition for an independent Flanders is to have the support of a majority of the population," Flemish Minister-President Jan Jambon said on Canvas TV channel on Friday. "But with 20% [support], it's an adventure we can't attempt."
Jambon, who is a member of the conservative separatist Flemish party N-VA, was reacting to the roadmap for independence recently proposed by far-right Flemish separatist party Vlaams Belang, which is set to be launched after the 2024 elections.
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Jambon stressed that he supported Flemish independence in a personal capacity and not as the head of the Flemish Government.
"I like the idea [of independence]," he admitted in separate remarks made on VRT. "But the first condition for doing so is that the idea is supported by the population. Now, all the studies carried out on the subject show that – and I'm going to be very optimistic – 20% of people do. With a percentage like that, it's an adventure we can't risk."
He added: "I regret that. I would like 60% to 70% of Flemish people to share this idea. But in a context where a large majority of Flemish people say they don't want complete independence, you can't embark on such a political adventure."
Nevertheless, Jambon remains hopeful that some of the Belgian Constitution's "architectural errors" can be repaired in the near future. "After [the 2024 elections], we will have to sit down around the table," he said, adding that his main goals are to achieve a greater devolution of power and funding from the federal to the regional level.
