Two-thirds of Flemings pessimistic about country's future, survey finds
Nearly two out of three Flemings are pessimistic about the future of Belgium, according to the latest edition of De Stemming, the annual survey conducted by the University of Antwerp and the Université libre de Bruxelles for VRT NWS, De Standaard and RTBF.
The survey, carried out in March among more than 5,000 respondents across Belgium, found that 65 per cent of Flemings describe themselves as pessimistic to very pessimistic about the country's future. In Brussels and Wallonia, the figure rises to around three-quarters of respondents.
The strongest sense of pessimism was recorded among voters of the radical parties Vlaams Belang and PVDA-PTB, with almost nine in ten believing the country is heading in the wrong direction. According to the researchers, "optimists are hard to find" among supporters of those parties.
The findings also show a clear link between economic circumstances and outlook. People on lower incomes are significantly more pessimistic about the future than higher-income respondents.
Dissatisfaction and nostalgia
The survey suggests that pessimism is closely connected to broader feelings of dissatisfaction with society and politics.
Respondents were asked to react to a series of statements measuring political, economic, social and cultural nostalgia, including whether people like them were taken more seriously in politics in the past, enjoyed better economic circumstances, belonged to stronger communities or saw their habits and interests receive greater respect.
Across Belgium, a majority agreed that people like them were economically better off in the past. In Flanders and Wallonia, many respondents also expressed nostalgia for stronger social ties and communities.
Once again, Vlaams Belang and PVDA-PTB voters were most likely to agree with these statements. According to Professor Stefaan Walgrave of the University of Antwerp, who co-led the research, dissatisfaction is the common factor linking the electorates of both parties, despite their ideological differences.
"Vlaams Belang voters attach particular importance to socio-cultural issues, such as migration. PTB-PVDA voters are primarily socio-economically dissatisfied," Walgrave said. "They sit on different fault lines on the other side, but dissatisfaction is what connects them."
Democracy viewed more positively
Despite the widespread pessimism, satisfaction with democracy remains relatively stable. Last year's sharp increase in confidence in the way democracy functions in Belgium has largely been maintained in 2026, with only a slight decline recorded.
The researchers note, however, that supporters of radical parties remain significantly less satisfied with democratic institutions than other voters. According to them, this reflects broader findings from political science research showing that these voters tend to hold more critical views of established institutions.
The survey also highlights a contrast between public pessimism and political stability in Flanders.
Nearly two years after the elections, there are few major shifts in voting intentions. N-VA remains comfortably the largest party in Flanders with more than 25 per cent support and a lead of over five percentage points over Vlaams Belang.
The party appears to benefit from the continued popularity of prime minister Bart De Wever and is the only governing party to improve its position. Researchers note that N-VA voters stand out as being comparatively satisfied in the survey, in contrast to the broader mood of pessimism found among much of the Flemish population.
Vooruit, CD&V and PVDA follow at a considerable distance, while Groen and Anders remain at the lower end of the poll.
The latest edition of De Stemming was conducted in March and April 2026 among more than 5,000 eligible voters across Belgium, including over 2,000 respondents in Flanders.
#FlandersNewsService | © PHOTO MICHAEL NGUYEN / NURPHOTO
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