- Title: BELGIUM: Belgians strip to protest political deadlock
- Date: 18th February 2011
- Summary: VARIOUS OF STREET BAND PLAYING
- Embargoed: 5th March 2011 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Belgium, Belgium
- Country: Belgium
- Topics: Domestic Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA81DBKRQC0UABJF0LNICTVHJ1H
- Story Text: A group of Belgians performed a mass strip-tease on Thursday (February 17), as students organised nation-wide protests over stalled coalition talks that have lasted over eight months, setting a new world record.
Some 249 mainly students shed their clothes in the northern city of Ghent to mark the number of days of political deadlock since the June 13 parliamentary election, in a protest entitled "Not in my name".
Belgian media and online sites believe Iraq previously held the modern day title.
It took 249 days last year for parties to reach a coalition deal and 289 days for the Iraqi parliament to approve the new administration.
Belgium already holds the European record, previously at 208 days, for stalled coalition talks, according to researchers at Sweden's Umea University who monitor the democratic process in Europe.
"Today we are going for 498 naked bums. That's twice 249, because for 249 days the nationalistic provocators are letting the situation rot," said Belgian actress and organiser, Marijke Pinoy.
Since the inconclusive June 2010 parliamentary vote, a caretaker administration has run the country while Dutch - and French -speaking party leaders have argued over the degree to which powers and tax-raising rights should be transferred to regions of the linguistically divided country.
French-speakers in particular view further devolution as a step towards the break-up of Belgium, something they oppose.
King Albert gave his chief mediator a further two weeks on Wednesday to try to break the deadlock. Caretaker Finance Minister Didier Reynders is the sixth person to take on the challenge.
The protest is the latest in a series of sometimes eccentric civil actions designed to show public discontent at the post-election deadlock.
"We hope to accomplish. We hope to shake them up. Make them realise that we Belgian are fed up with everything that they are doing and that they have to give us something. A government, something that works. Something that can solve all our problems," said one protester, Freya Vancraeynest, after stripping down to her underwear.
"All Belgians are the same. With clothes on we are different. But you know without the clothes we are all the same. We are all one country," added another protester Sarah Popelier.
A month ago, 34,000 Belgian marched through Brussels to shame political leaders.
Belgian actor Benoit Poelvoorde has urged all Belgian men not to shave until a government is formed and a Flemish Socialist senator even suggested a sex strike. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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