Belgium hits world record for lack of government

EUObserver reported that Belgium marked 249 days of political deadlock on the 17 February 2011, the current world record for a state to agree a new government. No deal to form a new Belgian government appeared likely in the near future after a general election in June 2010.

• Primary Source

Deutsche Welle, 30.3.11: Belgium's lame-duck government sets world record http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,14952394,00.html

Blog: Crisis in Belgium http://crisisinbelgium.blogspot.com/

De Standaard, 17.2.11: There is a life without a government (via PressEurop) http://www.presseurop.eu/en/content/article/507491-there-life-without-government

EurActiv, 30.3.11: Belgium political crisis sets new world record http://www.euractiv.com/en/elections/belgium-political-crisis-sets-new-world-record-news-503622

Deutsche Welle, 17.2.11: Belgium matches world record for longest time without a government http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,14846685,00.html

BBC News, 17.2.11: Belgians mark 'no-government world record' http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-12492872

France24, 17.2.11: Day of celebration and shame as Belgium’s deadlock breaks record http://www.france24.com/en/20110217-belgium-world-record-longest-period-without-government-iraq-election

ESO: Background information: Belgian general election, 2010 http://www.europeansources.info/record/belgian-general-election-2010/

ESO: Background information: New royal mediator picked for deadlocked Belgium http://www.europeansources.info/record/new-royal-mediator-picked-for-deadlocked-belgium/

De Standaard,18.2.11: Surrealist celebration of no-government record (via PressEurop) http://www.presseurop.eu/en/content/news-brief-cover/507831-surrealist-celebration-no-government-record

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