"No sex until a government is formed", says Belgian politician

A Belgian politician has come up with a novel solution to end the governmental crisis in her country.

Marleen Temmerman, a senator from the Socialistische Partij Anders (Flemish social-democratic party, sp.a) has called on spouses of all negotiators attempting to break the political deadlock in Belgium to, quite literally "keep their legs crossed" until a new government has been formed.

Marleen Temmerman (screenshot from interview)

Belgium has been without an elected government since national elections last June and Temmerman insists the idea of a "sex strike" is not as potty as it might sound.

"The idea came to me following the example of what happened in Kenya when, after elections in 2009, there was political deadlock and politicians couldn't agree on a new government," she said.

"Women's movements launched a call for a 'sex strike', not just aimed at spouses or partners of negotiators but at all Kenyan women - no sexual relations until a new government had been formed. One month later the country had a new government."

Temmerman admits the call for Belgian women to copy the Kenyan example is meant to be taken with humour in the same way as actor Benoît Poelvoorde's call on his fellow countrymen in January to stop shaving until a new government had been formed.

http://www.france-today.com/2011/01/actor-benoit-poelvoordes-call-to.html

At the same time though she maintains it also serves as an example of what ordinary citizens can do to show their frustration at the political stalemate.

"What we're talking about of course is what the Belgians in general can do, such as the March of Shame (when tens of thousands took to the streets to call for national unity and a new government)," she said

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-12263423

"The negotiators and those sitting around the table must take responsibility for hammering out an agreement. We need a new government so that our country can move forward."

Not everyone has welcomed Temmerman's suggestions with humour.

In the Dutch language daily Het Laatste Nieuws, journalist Luc Van Der Kelen took Temmerman and all the country's politicians to task.

"If the politicians themselves are no longer able to rise above a pubescent comedy more in keeping with what might be seen on children's television, the country is in great danger," he wrote.

And feminist groups have not exactly come down on Temmerman's side either according to France's daily Le Monde which quotes the head of one of them as saying, "It would have been better to have called a strike on washing up."


Bientôt la grève du sexe en Belgique?
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