As government formation talks are extended yet again, an Ipsos survey has revealed that Belgians are showing little enthusiasm about having Bart de Wever and Georges-Louis Bouchez as potential leaders of the country.
The idea of Bart de Wever – current Mayor of Antwerp, leader of Flemish right-wing N-VA and formator for Federal Government formation talks – becoming Prime Minister is received differently across Belgium's three regions.
The latest 'Grand Baromètre' conducted by Ipsos on behalf of Le Soir, RTL, Het Laatste Nieuws and VTM shows that 55% of Brussels residents and 58% of Walloons are against the idea of De Wever becoming the next Prime Minister. One in two Flemish residents are in favour of his appointment.
Meanwhile, 51% of Belgians do not want to see Mouvement Réformateur (MR) party leader Georges-Louis Bouchez in the Federal Government. This attitude is most prevalent in Brussels (42%) and among supporters of socialist party Vooruit in Flanders (67%). This is likely due to the spat between Vooruit and Bouchez's liberal MR party in August, when the two parties clashed over a proposed capital gains tax.
Unemployment, LEZs and Lahbib
Conducted between 11 and 17 September, the poll sought to determine how Belgians felt about the issues defining political debate at the moment, including Low Emissions Zones (LEZs), unemployment benefits and Belgium's choice of EU Commissioner: Hadja Lahbib.
LEZs have reappeared under the microscope in Brussels despite an agreement being reached in 2017. Diesel Euro 5 standard engines were due to be banned from Brussels city centre from 1 January 2025. However, several parties have done a U-turn and proposed pushing back the measure by two years, following in the footsteps of Wallonia and Flanders.
64% of Brussels residents are in favour of LEZs compared to 37% of Walloons and around half of people in Flanders. Supporters of cutting emissions tend to be young people and women, while men aged between 35 and 54 are the most likely to oppose these measures.
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Another key issue is the question of unemployment benefits and whether or not Belgium should implement cuts on the amount someone receives after a period of time. The majority of residents in every region are in favour of this measure (49% in Brussels, 53% in Wallonia and 67% in Flanders).
Outgoing Foreign Minister Hadja Lahbib (MR) was nominated EU Commissioner several weeks ago as part of government formation horse-trading. Her ratings among the Belgian populace vary: only 12% of Flemish people believe she is the right fit for the role, compared to 32% of Walloons and 39% of Brussels residents.
