Possibly heading off-topic, but why is it that Flanders has a heavy amount of populist-rightism, but Wallonia doesn't?
1. Flanders is wealthier but thats a more recent thing, Wallonia used to be the industrial heart of Belgium and was more wealthy, However post 1970s when deindustrialization in most of the west became a long-term trend. It was flipped, the flemish who weren't dependent on industry and developed a better Services economy to compensate, flourished in the aftermath. More wealthier = more right of centre leaning.
2. Because of #1, Flemish tax revenues has been forced to be used to subsidize welfare for wallonians, since their unemployment is higher when they didn't diversify from industry when globalization became a thing. Rightful anger at this means more support for right of centre parties in general.
3. History of flemish culture being hold down by the Culturally french-Wallonians. Resulting in distrust of government in general more-so in flanders.
1+2+3 = Unpopularity of the left(70% of Flemish voted for right of centre parties in the last General and Regional elections) and Flanders being right of centre dominated.
Mind you Wallonia is very left leaning so as it goes in many many countries, popularity of X in one region can cause a reaction in support for the opposite of X, in another region.
The left might of been more popular in Flanders had they not kept sucking Wallonia's.... uh... and had more of a flemish nationalist flavor. And less willing to sign away tax revenues to Wallonia whichgiven the history of Wallonia having the majority of investment poured in from both foreign and domestic spending. From the Industrial Revolution times, up to WW2.
Possibly heading off-topic, but why is it that Flanders has a heavy amount of populist-rightism, but Wallonia doesn't?
3/ In many ways, Walloons who lost out due to globalisation realise that the problem wasn't European integration (that if anything preserved their coal and steel industries), but global capitalism as whole. The conservative right-wing parties like Partie Populaire are openly free market liberals.
Capitalism giveth, Capitalism taketh away.
If you think switching to Communism/Socialism would of preserved wallonian industry. I want to cry of laughter.
