Belgians Tired of Not Having a Government: Staging Protests, Vowing Not to Shave Until They Get One

Most people do not pay much attention to Belgium, a tiny country next to France.

Belgium is now getting some unwelcome attention. Belgium political parties are locked in a dispute between the Dutch-speaking north and the French-speaking south. They cannot agree on a government and have not since the last one dissolved in June 2010.

Iraq was a laughingstock as it tried to form a government during eight months of negotiations. Come February 17, Belgium will top that.

It is one thing for a war-torn and divided country, beset by decades of authoritarian rule, to have difficulty forming a government. Compared to Belgium, the Iraqis had an understandable situation. Belgium is a Western country with a long history of democratic traditions. Today, the politicians in Belgium look like confused buffoons.

Many Belgians have turned away from listening to the news or even pulled down their national flags in disgust. There is a Facebook game where players can bonk the head of politicians. Who can blame them?

There is even a website, Beard for Belgium, where nearly 1,000 men and women have signed onto let their beards grow until a government forms. At the site, a member can post a picture of one's own beard or become creative at it, as some women have done.

"We hope that 20,000 or more can give a clear signal. We welcome everyone who is as sick of it as the others," said Felix De Clerck, a Beard for Belgium organizer.

The ineptitude of the Belgian politicians will not simply exceed the frustrations of Iraqi politicians but rival the chaos of Somalia, a country that spent years without a trace of responsible government.

Again, the Somalis had a reason. Their government collapsed and warlords operated as despots.

Belgium has no excuse like this. In another strange development, 30,000 people took to the streets to protest the Belgium government or rather lack of one. It may be the first time in history that people did not protest to overthrow a government but to have one.

One thing is certain. Razor sales are certain to tumble in the days and weeks ahead in Belgium.

For more on foolishness in government, see Foolocracy.com.