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Heading for divorce?

June 13, 2010

Voting is underway in Belgium in an election that could pave the way for a national break-up, with the mainstream Flemish party calling for separation from the French-speaking part of the country.

https://p.dw.com/p/NpYT
Workers put up election posters in Zoersel, Belgium
The voters will decide if they want to keep their country togetherImage: AP
Chairman of the NVA, New Flemish Alliance Party, Bart De Wever gestures while speaking during a media conference
Polls indicate that De Wever may be Belgium's next prime ministerImage: AP

Belgian voters have hit the polls on Sunday, June 13, in a general election, in which Flemish separatist parties are expected to do well, increasing concerns that Belgium is moving towards a split along its linguistic fault line.

The head of the Flemish Alliance (NVA) party, Bart De Wever, wants Dutch-speaking Flanders to sever its ties with French-speaking Wallonia. There is a long history of tension between the two regions. Belgians living in Flanders have currently half the unemployment of those in Wallonia, and a 25 percent higher per-capita income. Only the capital, Brussels, is officially bilingual.

The elections were called after a coalition government collapsed at the end of April in a dispute over bilingualism.

Voting is compulsory for the 7.7 million voters in Belgium, 60 percent of whom are Flemish. Polls are open till 3 p.m. local time on Sunday.

Author: Joanna Impey (AFP/AP/dpa)

Editor: Toma Tasovac

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