Belgian papers today carried the headline of "World Champions". The reason? After 250 days of negotiating, Belgium now holds the record for the longest periods of government formation talks.
Since elections took place back in June last year, representatives have attempted to thrash out an agreement, to no avail. One of the big stalling points has been the feeling among many in the Flemish region feeling their counterparts in Walloon rely too heavily on them for economic subsidization. This has lead to further strain in a country already split heavily by linguistic, political and cultural differences.
Just a month ago, over thirty thousand citizens marched through the capital, Brussels. However, as the delay continues, the Belgian people appear to be coming up with new and stranger ways to protest. A Belgian celebrity has called on the men of the country to grow beards and upload them to his website. As it stands, nearly 100 men have risen to the challenge, and displaced their protest facial hair.
On the day preceding the record, 249 students stripped down to their underwear in the streets of Ghent, apparently to symbolise the "foolishness of the politicians". This protest took place during a "people's festival" in the city, jokingly celebrating the new record.
One female politician has asked the spouses of her fellow politicians to withold sex. "I call on the spouses of all negotiators to withhold sex until a deal is reached," she said in the newspaper interview. "Have no more sex until the new administration is posing on the steps of the Palace." It's yet to be seen if any of them will actually heed her call.
In the meantime, it seems a deal is still is far from happening.
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