European Council President Charles Michel, himself a Belgian, and Ursula von der Leyen (Image: GETTY)

       Surging support for Eurosceptic parties in Belgium, partly driven by resentment at accelerating federalism, has the potential to be highly embarrassing for the European Union, a Brussels-based expert has said.

       Pieter Cleppe also pointed out that a strong showing in the forthcoming federal election for Vlaams Belang (VB) and the New Flemish Alliance (N-VA) will only encourage them to push for an independent Flanders - an outcome that would surely destroy the country at the heart of the bloc.

       Belgium is gearing up to take over the rolling presidency of the European Union on January 1 - a period that will overlap with what is already being billed as a crucial vote on June 9.

       Between them, VB (25 percent) and N-VA (21 percent) currently command the support of 46 percent of Belgians, according to Politico’s most recent poll of polls on December 11.

       Both parties are more popular now than they were in the 2019 general election, when VB took 12 percent of the vote and N-VA 16 percent. Consequently, VB won 18 seats in the 150-seat Chamber of Representatives and N-VA won 25.

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       Tom Van Grieken is the leader of the Right-wing Vlaams Belang party (Image: Getty)

       With N-VA, led by Bart De Wever, not ruling out the possibility of going into coalition with VB, led by Tom Van Grieken, the two parties would appear to have a realistic chance of taking the 76 seats they would need to form a government - something that would send shockwaves through the nation’s capital.

       Mr Cleppe, editor-in-chief of BrusselsReport.eu, told Express.co.uk: “Vlaams Belang is a eurosceptic party, hostile to ever greater transfers of powers to the EU level.

       “It should be noted that the N-VA, currently the second biggest party of the country, according to the polls, is also critical to centralisation of power to the EU.”

       He continued: “It would be an embarrassment to those in Belgium hoping to transfer more power to the EU.

       Bart De Wever is the leader of the New Flemish Alliance (N-VA) (Image: Getty)

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       “Both parties support an independent Flanders, but N-VA prefers a gradual approach.”

       Asked to pinpoint the reasons for the groundswell of support of both parties, Mr Cleppe pointed to “discontent with disorderly migration, high taxes and high energy prices”.

       He also suggested irritation at the EU itself “certainly plays a role”, explaining: “Many green regulations that are causing anger are driven by the EU. Still, most of the wrath is reserved for national politicians.”

       Both VB and N-VA advocate Flemish independence - something which would by its very nature involve the break of Belgium as a country.

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       Mr Cleppe suggested the prospect was “not realistic, looking at the fact that there is no majority for it in Flanders”.

       However, he added: “If it appears impossible to form a new federal government at one point, it may happen.”

       Such an eventuality would not be a huge surprise either - it took almost 500 days for the formation of a government after the federal election of May 26, 2019, Mr Cleppe stressed.

       Speaking yesterday, Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo, who himself comes from Flanders, said: "For Belgium, it is the 13th time that we will take over the presidency, we should know what we are doing, I am convinced that we have quite some experience."

       Charles Michel says bloc should get ready to accept more members

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       One person who does not believe Belgium has a future as a country is former Brexit Party and Ukip leader Nigel Farage, who once told the European Parliament: “Belgium is not a nation, it’s an artificial creation.

       “I know the Brits did it, maybe once again we can be blamed.

       “But the truth is there are two parts of Belgium, they speak different languages, they dislike each other intensely, there is no national television station, there is no national newspaper.”

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