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Sometimes, being a Belgian living abroad is not easy. Especially when my foreign friends over here are asking questions about the very peculiar Belgian political situation. It seems a never ending story, but over and over again, I have to explain to them what kind of actions our incapable Belgian politicians are taking while trying to run my home country. I am not a lawyer, and I have never studied the law very well, but I know a little bit about it. The least thing I expect is that people running a country know the law as well. And if not, they should be surrounded by very capable lawyers who’s job it is to protect these politicians against themselves.

Since two days, Belgium is again in crisis. Or should I say… the crisis has become worse? Since the June 2007 elections, Belgium has seen the worst crisis in its history. And since March of this year, Belgium has the most incapable Prime Minister in its history as well. Yves Leterme went to the elections with one slogan: “Who believes these people?” Giving critics on his opponent and his liberal party.

Crembo, our Minister of Defense has been very quiet over the last couple of weeks, since he was spotted being drunk in the New York bar and since he was overwhelmed by reactions after having called bloggers as being dangerous species. Last week, the Minister of Justice has put himself above the law, while he had to cover up mistakes that had been made by people working in jail. A decision the whole country could approve of. But yes, a little against the law. What had happened?

A young female police officer was killed in December last year in a gunfight while doing her job. A couple of weeks later, the murderers were arrested and have been in jail since then. One of these killers had appealed against a court’s decision to keep him in jail, and due to some incredible mistake, these papers were lost! Officially, he had to be released out of prison, he was to become a free man again. Fortunately, the Justice Department found another reason to keep this gangster in jail. If he had been freed, it would have been just another scandal on top of all the rest.

This week however, in the Fortis saga - the biggest Belgian bank that was sold by the government to the Dutch and the French, the goverment interfeared with the Justice department and tried to influence the court to have a verdict in its favor. The court overruled these interventions, the press found out, the crisis became worse, and normally, Yves Leterme should resign from his office. That’s the normal thing to do as Prime Minister.

Not in Belgium however! While I had expected to see him resign from his office, he simply continues. As if nothing has happened.

I can only ask one question: “Who believes Yves Leterme?”

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