Chillin'Competition

The College of Europe – the academic institution which hosts the GCLC – made the buzz yesterday. I paste hereafter the full AFP story.

Belgian premier butt of linguistic gaffe

(AFP) – 1 day ago

BRUSSELS — The premier of linguistically-divided Belgium, Yves Leterme, came in for a shock on being told Tuesday that French was the nation’s official language as well as his own — though he is a Flemish-speaker.

The gaffe came when Leterme, who has a French name and speaks the language fluently, visited the prestigious College of Europe in Bruges, flanked by German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who is on an official visit to Belgium.

Delivering a speech to the pair, the head of the institution, Spaniard Inigo Mendez de Vigo, said he would conclude in Belgium’s official language, French, “the language of Yves Leterme”, raising eyebrows in the room.

Leterme currently heads a caretaker government following inconclusive general elections in June that have left the country rudderless as parties on both sides of the linguistic divide quarrel over a deal to form a government.

Sixty percent of the country’s around 10 million people speak Flemish, the remainder French.

This story is a telling illustration that no one understands a d***** thing as to what is currently going on in Belgium.

Also, the head of the College is currently Rector Paul Demaret.