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Belgian PM's Anthem Gaffe
Belgium's Prime Minister in waiting Yves Leterme has caused a stir by appearing to confuse his national anthem La Brabanconne with France's La Marseillaise. The leader of the Flemish Christian Democrats was pushed by a journalist to display his knowledge of the anthem on Belgium's National Day: Leterme responded with a few verses from the famous French anthem.
Leterme, as the Euronews clip above says, is not unknown for making controversial statements. He has slammed French-speaking Belgians for their stupidity and has also said he plans to grant more autonomy to the Flemish-speaking north, which has a larger population and generates more income, but which must share power equally with the French south.
The Belgian press is having a go at him for what it describes as a gaffe, but really it sounds to us like more of a joke - a second video suggesting he doesn't know the words to La Brabanconne notwithstanding. Perhaps he is making a sly comment on the influence of French-speaking Walloonia on Belgium as a whole - or are we crediting a politician with more wit than he deserves?
