Marleen Temmerman, Belgian Senator, Calls For Sex Strike Until Government Is Formed

Belgium is on the verge of a world record: most time taken to form a government. That record is currently held by Iraq, but 241 days after Belgium's elections, a coalition government has yet to be formed.

Belgian Senator Marleen Temmerman has come up with an intriguing solution to this predicament. Inspired by a similar action in Kenya, she has proposed a sex strike on the part of the negotiators' spouses. According to Temmerman, resolution could potentially be reached faster if sex is withheld from those currently unable to reach a deal.

According to BBC News, 80% of Belgians who contacted Temmerman's office responded positively to the idea of a sex strike. But per the BBC report, the reaction of some of the politicians who would be impacted has been less than enthusiastic: "Catherine Fonck, a francophone Christian Democrat senator, was quoted in Britain's Daily Telegraph as saying: 'I do not want to take part in a sex strike. Politicians are not there to strike. On the contrary, politicians are there to arouse the country.'"

Only time will tell how effective a sex strike will be if it moves forward, but it will sure be fascinating to find out.

Comments

[angrymanspokane]

01:49 PM on 02/10/2011

This certainly lends credibility to the new government...

[brixtony]

01:04 PM on 02/10/2011

What if you held a sex strike and nobody came?

[angrymanspokane]

01:49 PM on 02/10/2011

Excellent, absolutely excellent! I regret that I can only fan you once.

[Cranmer1549]

12:58 PM on 02/10/2011

Sex strike?! Ha ha ha, ask any married man - that's par for the course.

[Durendal33]

12:20 PM on 02/10/2011

Men give it woman take it.Rape the measure of last resort.

[Jerry Bourbon]

11:57 AM on 02/10/2011

My (ex) girlfriend pulled this game on me, once. I told her that I was going to have sex that night.

Preferably with her, but, one way or another, I was going to have sex. End of relationship, but, on the other hand, I DID go out and have sex.

[European1919]

02:43 PM on 02/10/2011

Her loss was your gain I presume: sex AND freedom regained.

[JTS313]

09:43 AM on 02/10/2011

Lysistrata, open up the bedroom door
What is the matter, ain't you in love with me no more?
I enlisted in the army today
One more time before I march away
Make me feel like a big strong man

You say you don't care about my pride
You love me too much just to let me die
And you won't let me come inside
Unless I don't go to war no more

Lysistrata, little boys like to have their fun
And you know I gotta put on my colors and get my gun
Every able bodied man that I know
Every patriot is packed to go

Won't you give me a last goodbye
I'll be sent off to a distant land
to spill my blood upon some foreign sand
And I may die by an enemy's hand
And then I won't go to war no more, war no more and no
Then I won't go to war no more

Send the boys all back to the farm
Tell the troops it was a false alarm
'Cause if I die I wanna be in your arms
And so I won't go to war, no, I won't go to war
Said I won't go to war no more

Aristophanes as interpreted and condensed by Todd Rundgren.

[Arashi]

08:59 AM on 02/10/2011

What if you held a sex strike and nobody noticed?

[DanSc]

07:21 AM on 02/10/2011

This will work until the women want some. We're all human.

[Channa]

06:48 AM on 02/10/2011

Catherine Fonck won't participate in a sex strike because she wants to arouse the whole country? She is very ambitious.

[maigrey]

02:56 AM on 02/10/2011

Shades of Clytemnestra. Too funny.

[DrakeUnlimited]

01:59 AM on 02/10/2011

they are trying hard to erect this govt. haha

[MrSimythe]

01:56 AM on 02/10/2011

That"s awesome! lol

[1donewrong]

11:10 PM on 02/09/2011

bill clinton is already on record supporting this

[Blodo]

09:47 PM on 02/09/2011

We need more upright politicians.

[HappyMarsden]

08:07 PM on 02/09/2011

" On the contrary, politicians are there to arouse the country.'

Really? Damn. I should really think about moving to Belgium.