Belgian government breaks world record, citizens cringe - Polidicks

[URL]http://www.deredactie.be/cm/vrtnieuws.english/news/110217_WR_foreign_press_reports[/URL] [quote] [B]The Belgian world record for "no new government" triggers comments all over the world. Some reports show concern or sympathy, others focus on the special events which are taking place to "celebrate" the world record. [/B] "Belgium marks no-government world record", the [URL="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-12492872"]BBC website[/URL] reports, also making a reference to the event in Ghent, where 249 people planned to strip naked. Associated Press (AP) puts the focus on the events. "Many would see it as a humiliation, but for Belgium it's an excuse for a party", Raf Casert kicks off. "People are putting aside their differences to celebrate the occasion", he adds (see: read also); [I](photo on top, the [/I][URL="http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/02/17/2071279/belgium-celebrates-world-record.html"][I]Miami Herald[/I][/URL][I], which brings the AP report).[/I] [B]"Well paid politicians can't solve it"[/B] Bruno Waterfield of the [URL="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/belgium/8328926/Belgium-breaks-Iraqs-249-day-record-without-a-government.html"]Daily Telegraph[/URL] points to the fact that while politicians fail to reach a solution and to do their homework properly, their pay has increased, triggering anger among Belgian citizens. "The new world record was set as Belgium's official gazette noted that the total income of federal MPs, whose failure to agree on tax and political reform has driven the crisis, had continued to rise during the crisis. "Over the last year, personal income for MPs, including pay and perks, increased to £87,300 (103,705 euros), a figure that rose to £143,000 (170,000 euros) when parliamentary and other allowances were taken into account," the report says. "Many Belgians across the Flemish-Walloon divide, who pay some of Europe highest taxes, are increasingly angry at the failure of their well paid politicians to end a crisis that is hitting the economy through increased borrowing rates and investor uncertainty." [B]"A bitter world record"[/B] In the Netherlands, the Belgian world record is also receiving a lot of attention. The magazine Trouw is talking about "a bitter world record". The daily DePers has sent two journalists to investigate the matter and calls Belgium "the only country in the world where people have the right not to understand one another." French newspapers like Le Monde and Le Figaro are openly asking whether there is still a way out of the deadlock. France Soir and Libération focus on events like the "Frietrevolutie" (chips revolution) in Leuven. [/quote]and [URL]http://www.deredactie.be/cm/vrtnieuws.english/news/110216_Belgium_events[/URL] [quote][B]To mark the world record as "country without a government" (Belgian citizens have been waiting for 249 days now since the federal elections of last June), a number of events are being are being organised. Most of them support the idea of keeping Belgium together and are set up with a touch of irony and humour.[/B] people and to discuss the present stalemate. In Ghent (East Flanders) a party is being organised. The aim is also to have 249 people go naked. Among them is actress Marijke Pinoy , who also took part in the protest action in the Brussels Royal Theatre some weeks ago. The idea behind it is that "all people are equal when they are naked." [B]Let's stage a "frietrevolutie" ![/B] At the same time, a so-called Frietrevolutie (chips revolution) is taking place in a number of other cities like Antwerp, Leuven, Ghent, Louvain-la-Neuve and Liège. It's a reference to what happened recently in Egypt and Tunisia. Organisers in Leuven claim that the Belgian people should also start a peaceful revolt to turn the tide, just like in Northern Africa. French fries - a Belgian national dish - will be the main food at the event in Leuven. Everyone writing a slogan on a board, will get a pack of chips for free. In the French-speaking student town of Louvain-la-Neuve (Walloon Brabant), the focus will be on Belgian beer instead of French fries. The far-right political party Vlaams Belang is handing out bananas today to join the happenings. "Belgium has become a banana republic", organisers claim.[/quote] So yeah, my country just broke this amazing world record. And, as a matter of fact, I believe we'll probably pulverise it and set the bar ridiculously high.

Goes to show, a country can manage without leadership for quite a while.

[QUOTE=TrouserDemon;28107860]Goes to show, a country can manage without leadership for quite a while.[/QUOTE] It ends up collapsing given some more time.

[QUOTE=TrouserDemon;28107860]Goes to show, a country can manage without leadership for quite a while.[/QUOTE] There's a joke here concerning Belgium and how it's working fine without a government, I just can't find it.

[QUOTE=TrouserDemon;28107860]Goes to show, a country can manage without leadership for quite a while.[/QUOTE] Absence of government does not necessarily mean absence of leadership.

In all honesty, the ancient government is simply keeping the day-to-day affairs running. However, no important decisions (like government bail-outs, foreign affairs etc) can be handled by this ex-government, thus making it a bit... ineffective until we have a new one. It's not a total anarchy.

Make us proud

It would be OK if there were free waffles being offered in compensation.

Belgium is a fucking awesome country. Went there on a school history trip, we went to France and then through to Belgium. Ypres is great.

[quote] The daily DePers has sent two journalists to investigate the matter and calls Belgium "the only country in the world where people have the right not to understand one another." [/quote] I can name other countries like this.

Why can't more countries have naked rallies? Oh yeah, the governments there have laws against it.

[QUOTE=Blanketspace;28109358]Why can't more countries have naked rallies? Oh yeah, the governments there have laws against it.[/QUOTE] You really want a bunch of fatties flailing their chunky guts everywhere?

i like their waffles so this is nice i guess