Complex coallition talks loom in Belgium after Flemish nationalist parties win federal election

Flemish nationalist parties are dominating general elections in Belgium as Prime minister Alexander De Croo’s liberal party took a hit. Difficult coalition talks to form a new government are now looming. Despite polls predicting that the far-right, anti-immigration Vlaams Belang party would become the main political force in the country with 11.5 million inhabitants, the right-wing nationalist New Flemish Alliance (N-VA) retained its first spot, with an expected 22% of the votes, according to provisional results provided by the Interior ministry. The Vlaams Belang came in second position, with a share of 17.5%, ahead of the Socialist Voruit party, which garnered about 10.5% of the votes. De Croo’s party managed less than 7% of the votes, lagging well behind the far-left.