Time for something sober and dry: a quick update from the Netherlands and Belgium.
STOP PRESS: The Belgian premier has been in hospital too. He broke two ribs when his car overturned last night as he was being chauffered home...
Netherlands:The Government has just announced its plans and budget for the next year. Queen Beatrix, wearing the latest in her collection of over-sized hats, did the honours, reading out the official statement - already leaked to the press - to Parliament in The Hague. The basic message to the nation was: we're in trouble and you're going to pay for it. We're expected to pull together, work more hours for less money, pay more if we're sick, carry on working till we drop. The Dutch have taken so much stick from this government, it's unbelievable. Finally, they're beginning to show signs of protest. The trade unions have called for a mass demonstration at Museum Square, Amsterdam on 2 October. Anyone can come. Be there if you're in town!
Right foot forward
Jan Peter Balkenende, the Netherlands' rightist Christian Democrat Dutch Premier wasn't present for the budget speech. He's in hospital, having operations on his right foot. Apparently the worst is over for Jan Peter - except that he's been swamped with more than 10,000 Get Well cards sent by internet and due to be delivered yesterday to his hospital bedside. He's about as uncharismatic as you can get, but if you really want to know more about him, see the English-language website of the Dutch World Service, Wereldomroep. A good link if you're interested in Holland, by the way.
Don't fly by night…
Belgium: The Belgian Government is in a spot of trouble. I don't know all the ins and outs of the story but it's basically about Noise Reduction v. Big Corporate Expansion plans at Zaventem, the international airport at Brussels. Courier company DHL wants to expand operations from its European regional centre at the airport and has hinted that it'll move out of Belgium altogether if it doesn't get its way. That would mean thousands of job losses. See Unhappy Landings.
There's an interesting twist to this. Most of the people who's jobs would go are Flems. (They speak Flemish, the Belgian name for the Dutch language). But the night flights that are causing most complaints about noise levels are also affecting the Walloons - the French speaking Belgians. Those two groups don't have the best relationship, a fact which makes tiny Belgium a tricky place to govern. Luckily, they have a monarch and so no need for presidential elections….
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