Flemish separatists vie for poll victory

CLOSE to eight million Belgians will cast their votes tomorrow in a poll that could be another move towards splitting their country in two.

Flemish separatist parties are getting the support of half of their Dutch-speaking electorate on a ticket that promises them much more independence from their French-speaking compatriots.

Their leaders are couching their message in much softer tones than those used by the racist populist Vlaams Belang that has long advocated the country be split.

Instead Bart De Wever, leader of the New Flanders Alliance (NVA) is talking about forming a confederation as a step towards a split.

But the two parts of the country have their own separate political parties and while De Wever has 45% of the support of his fellow Flems, overall he has 26% according to the latest poll.

In Walloonia in the south, the swing has been to the Socialists who according to the polls have 30% of overall support.

The majority of the population do not want the country to split, however, and many believe that this will translate into support for more moderate parties.

With just a day to go to voting almost 30% of voters said they had not made up their mind.

The government will have to be a coalition as none of the parties are expected to get more than 30 seats in the 150-seat parliament.

The outgoing government is composed of five parties, and by law the Government has to be made up of an equal number of French and Flemish speakers.

NVA leader De Wever has already indicated he would be happy to form an alliance with the Walloon Socialists, even to offer their leader, Elio di Rupo the role of Prime Minister.

But the Socialists have not been enthusiastic saying they have little in common with the NVA.

They believe there will be enough moderate parties to form a coalition.