What are Flemings' greatest concerns 100 days out from the election?

The research reveals that several themes that became chief concerns in recent years, health with the pandemic, energy with the energy crisis and security with the war in Ukraine have all ebbed away as priorities.  Migration, the economy and spending power, but also politics are today’s main concerns.

Migration seems a constant concern for Flemings.  It was a major theme in the 2019 elections and unusually has remained among Flemings' Top 5 concerns in recent years.  Today it is Flemings’ top concern for the first time with older voters more worried than younger people.  It’s a greater concern among the middle classes than among low-income families, but there is no difference in the response data between town and countryside.

The research shows Flemings do not see a rosy future for the economy.  However, the cost-of-living crisis is no longer Flemings’ chief worry as in previous outings of De Stemming.  Inflation has eased.  Still, 22 per cent of Flemings say they have a hard time making ends meet.  Liberal and nationalist voters have least difficulty, while this is more a problem for socialist, far left and far right voters. Far right and far light voters remain most pessimistic about the prospects of the Belgian economy.  “The figures suggest that the cost-of-living crisis is a big motivation for a radical vote” the political scientists say.

A whopping 14% of Flemings identify politics as Belgium’s biggest problem.  Confidence in politics and the country’s institutions reached an historic low last year.  Politicians, political parties, government and parliaments all get a firm thumbs down from Flemings.