Surreal little Belgium

[Andres]

We're almost there! The World Champions' title is in our grasp. Only 3 weeks to go and we'll be World Champions in Government Formation!





Come on guys, I know you can do it! You have the support of the whole nation!!

Knowing Belgium, this WILL be celebrated somewhere

[Vladimir]

Wait, so Belgium went without a government longer than Iraq? Italy?

[drone]

The politicians better hurry up and get their act together. If this goes on much longer, Belgians might realize they don't actually need a government, and they will be out on the street.

[Tellos Athenaios]

Belgians currently protest that they do need a government. It is you who should ship your Tea Party across the ocean to study the Belgian formula for “as little government as possible”.

[drone]

Only if you promise to keep them.

[Tellos Athenaios]

You mean as a kind of interactive “overcome your fears” programme: no guns but more government than they ever imagined possible?

[Louis VI the Fat]

ALL IT TAKES IS FOR THE FLEMINGS TO ADMIT THEY ARE WRONG

[gaelic cowboy]

Why don't they just have another election maybe some one might have enough then for a minority government

[Moros]

Because both camps who are not getting a dal are the ones who'd be winning next elections with even bigger amount of votes. Also we already had an extra voting, sorta.

[Andres]

Why don't they just have another election maybe some one might have enough then for a minority government

Well, maybe we will, but please, not before February 17th. I WANT THAT WORLD RECORD! Stupid Di Rupo is trying to ruin it by proposing a government of national unity. With 9 parties instead of 7. Indeed, if you can't come to an agreement with 7 different political parties, then you'll most likely come to an agreement with 9 different parties.



Will we make it? Will Belgium become world champion in government formation? Let's hope so! This should be celebrated! Maybe I should start getting drunk this week-end already, to prepare for the real celebrations.

[Furunculus]

ALL IT TAKES IS FOR THE FLEMINGS TO ADMIT THEY ARE WRONG

are they wrong?

[Andres]

are they wrong?

No, we're right

And Louis is heavily biased, since he only reads Le Soir aka the written Belgian equivalent of Radio Mille Collines.

[_Tristan_]

Let's make Wallonie part of France and be done with it...

[Furunculus]

agreed, it would be an excellent demonstration of the continueing relevance of the nation-state, and amusingly, one from the very heart of the supranational european project.

[Fisherking]

Let's make Wallonie part of France and be done with it...

Ah yes, French ambition.

Maybe you could swap it for Alsace-Lorraine

[Andres]

Let's make Wallonie part of France and be done with it...

Ah, so we have to keep and pay for Brussels? Agreed, but only if France also takes over 50 % of Belgians' debt then.

[HoreTore]

I still stand by my earlier proposal to forcibly relocate the population to Siberia and repopulate the area with cooperative europeans.

Let's face it, the belgians are dead wood right now, and the rest of us needs some lebensraum.

[Andres]

I still stand by my earlier proposal to forcibly relocate the population to Siberia and repopulate the area with cooperative europeans.

Let's face it, the belgians are dead wood right now, and the rest of us needs some lebensraum.

No more Belgian beer for you Enjoy your pint of dishwater Heineken

[HoreTore]

Never tasted belgian beer, I stick with Aass beer...

[Furunculus]

The Economist's Charlamage on Belgium:

http://www.economist.com/node/180082...ry_id=18008272

"Why Belgium’s unending linguistic disputes matter to Europe"

[Fisherking]

Belgium was a British idea. I don’t think we can give them to the UK though.

Tell them to fix the problem or they go back to Spain maybe then they will find a way to work together.

[Andres]

What problem?

We don't have a new federal government for months and the country still works. Nothing changed in our every day lives.

Besides, we have:

- a federal government of running affairs;
- a Flemish Government
- a Government of the French Community
- a government of the German-speaking community
- a government of the Walloon Region
- a government of the Brussels Capital Region

Plenty of governments, so what is all this nonsense about us not having a government? WE HAVE SIX GOVERNMENTS!

There is no crisis, we're just busy breaking the world record of government formation, so stop this talk about crisis, you evil speculators in Belgian government debt

[Furunculus]

Belgium was a British idea. I don’t think we can give them to the UK though.

Tell them to fix the problem or they go back to Spain maybe then they will find a way to work together.

well, we'll be happy to have flanders back if they want us..........?

[Fisherking]

What problem?

We don't have a new federal government for months and the country still works. Nothing changed in our every day lives.

I will admit that having a government in turmoil usually is not altogether bad for the people.

After all they aren’t forcing new laws, taxes, or regulations on you from a federal level.

So long as the lower governments are getting paid and providing services it should make for a splendid show.

[Tellos Athenaios]

No more Belgian beer for you Enjoy your pint of dishwater Heineken

Dishwater is too kind a description for Heineken. Slootwater is nearer to the mark. To think there are people who think beer is somehow supposed to taste like that. Maybe Belgium should send out missionaries once again to educate the world on beer, chocolate, good humour and government free polities.

[Vladimir]

Dishwater is too kind a description for Heineken. Slootwater is nearer to the mark. To think there are people who think beer is somehow supposed to taste like that. Maybe Belgium should send out missionaries once again to educate the world on beer, chocolate, good humour and government free polities.

This thread is so quaint. I have to find a U.S. government job there.

[Fragony]

Dishwater is too kind a description for Heineken. Slootwater is nearer to the mark. To think there are people who think beer is somehow supposed to taste like that. Maybe Belgium should send out missionaries once again to educate the world on beer, chocolate, good humour and government free polities.

It's of no use, at blind tests the Femish prefered Heineken. Heineken isn't a bad beer at all, but gimme Brand or Hertog Jan anyway

[Andres]

Support our heroic politicians in their attempt to break the mythical world record for the longest coalition talks.



This calls for a celebration! Let's count the days together !



We're having a big party - Thursday 17 February 2011 - Ghent, St.-Jacobs



The world title is within reach for European record-holder Belgium. Already having broken its own 194 day national record for the longest coalition talks, the European record was beaten too, on the date of 7 January 2011. The world record, currently held by the present Iraqi government (249 days), is getting in sight. To get there, the Belgians will need to continue negotiations beyond the 17th of February.



Support this frivolous campaign, which is unrelated to any political, ideological, or philosophical inclination.

Linky.

[Furunculus]

joined.

[Louis VI the Fat]

Surreal Belgium, part III.


Did you know that if you line up Belgian beer bottles correctly, then photograph them, you will see them in 3D?

But not in ordinary 3D! No siree! The bottles show up in 3D-runk. The Belgian Gods have made it so that you see the bottles exactly as you saw them when you drank them....