Nearly one in four Belgians are in favour of splitting the country, according to a poll conducted by the Dedicated Institute for Soir Mag.
More specifically, 28% of the Flemish people are in favour, as are 18% of the Walloons and 17% of the inhabitants of Brussels.
Incidentally, 56% of those questioned believe that it will not be possible to maintain a unified country in the future. That figure is 58% in Wallonia and 56% in Flanders, and slightly lower in Brussels (46%).
On the other hand, 48% of those questioned are in favour of a status quo in the way in which powers are currently divided between the federal level and the sub-entities.
As for the culprit for the crisis, according to 31%, is the right-wing N-VA, followed by the francophone socialist party (10%) and the francophone liberal party (9%).
The survey was conducted between 28 August and 2 September among 1,303 people.
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Flemish liberal Egbert Lachaert and Flemish socialist Conner Rousseau are the latest politicians to be tasked with exploring a potential coalition as the current temporary government’s special powers expire on 17 September.
However, Lachaert’s positive Covid-19 test now throws a spanner in the works as it risks slowing down talks.
Jason Spinks
The Brussels Times
