This must be Belgium

Tonight, the RTBF, Belgium’s French-speaking national TV channel reported that Flanders, the Dutch-speaking part of the country, had declared independence; the king had flown out of the country in protest and Belgium was, basically, no more.

Of course, this was just a well-prepared hoax intended to give at least one half of the country a monumental kick up the backside and attempt to wake them as they fall asleep at the wheel.

It certainly worked. Phone exchanges are down, newspaper forums are exploding and the political aristocracy are crying their indignation like teenage drama queens instead of looking in the mirror.

Where’s that oh-so-famous Belgian sense of self-derision now? The selective blindness on all sides is thoroughly astonishing.

They’ve obviously never heard about the first rule of holes (when you’re in one, stop digging).

update : it’s all online at the VRT, amusingly.