Cambodia is still the Champion

Report: Cambodia, not Belgium, holds government standstill record


Mar 30, 2011, 12:50 GMT

Brussels - Belgium on Wednesday marked 290 days without a government, but was unable to claim the expected title for the country with the longest political stalemate.


Cambodia was without a government for 353 days, newspaper L'Echo reported, after parliamentary elections on July 27, 2003. The National Assembly approved a new coalition government there on July 15, 2004.

Belgium on Tuesday tied with Iraq for going 289 days with a government.

Thousands of students took to the streets Tuesday to mark the expected record breaker with a call for political unity, handing out French fries - a Belgian speciality - as part of what they have dubbed the 'French Fries Revolution.'

Politicians from Belgium's Dutch-speaking Flanders region and French-speaking Wallonia region have been unable to reach a compromise on a new government since elections in June.

'If Elio di Rupo and Bart De Wever manage to 'draw it out' for another two months, we will officially be the holders of the world record,' L'Echo wrote, referring to the leaders of the Walloon and Flemish political parties.