Belgium: Half of Flemish want independence
Almost a half of Belgium’s Flemish population – 49.7 percent – pushes for breaking away from the French-speaking part of the country, according to a poll, reports the Interfax news agency. The returns display a growing divide between the Flemish and French-speaking communities. In September 2007, when the language issue led to a serious political crisis, around 46 percent of Flemish supported breaking away, while Flanders’s 49.6 percent backed a united Belgium.
When Belgium gained independence in 1830, mostly Francophone represented aristocrats and bourgeoisie. However, the economic significance of the Flemish-speaking territories began to grow in mid-20th century. As a result, the number of Flemish-speaking Belgians increased significantly, pushing even Francophone to learn Flemish.
