Support for Blok booming

27 September 2004

BRUSSELS – Nearly half of all Flemish citizens believe the far right Vlaams Blok party should be included in the Flanders regional government, it emerged on Monday.

Although the racist party was blocked from entering the government after the June 18 regional elections, 44 percent of Flemish people believe it should have been included.

A further 16 percent remain indifferent to the issue, according to a poll conducted by La Libre Belgique.

The newspaper accuses press in the north of the country of contributing to general complacency about the rise of the extreme right.

Only 40 percent of people questioned in the pool were willing to defend the principle maintained by other political parties of not entering a coalition with Vlaams Blok.

Women in particular, at 50 percent, are in favour of the Blok entering government, alongside 55 percent of 24-44 year olds.

Green voters are most against the idea, at 65 percent, SP. A-Spirit at 56 percent and VLD-Vivant at 55 percent.

Upper social classes are also more opposed, at 61 percent.

Le Soir reports that if the regional elections were held now, Vlaams Blok would be the leading party in Flanders, 0.1 percent ahead of the ruling CD&V/N-VA coalition.

Polls conducted by La Libre Belgique and Het Laatste Nieuws show the Socialists in the lead in Wallonia, on 38.6 percent.

This is mirrored in Brussels, where the Socialists command the largest amount of support on 29.7 percent.

Subject: Belgian news