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*Le Chou is intended for purely satirical and entertainment purposes and does not reflect the views of The Brussels Times*
Belgium’s former leader is now technically Dutch after his political opponents sold the square-metre of land where he was born to the Netherlands, meaning Michel cannot be appointed prime minister again.
Earlier this week, the Belgian and Dutch governments agreed to a land-swap deal that has slightly withdrawn the two countries’ shared border. As a token of good faith, Belgium also sold the Netherlands an extra square-metre in return for a nominal one euro admin fee.
It can now be exclusively revealed by Le Chou that the square-metre in question is the exact location in Namur where former prime minister and soon-to-be ex-European Council President Charles Michel was born.
According to the laws of both lands, this technically now means that Michel is Dutch. Federal police were dispatched to his home this morning to seize his passport and force him to swear allegiance to the Dutch king.
This is not a classic instance of Belgian maladministration either. Sources in the Belgian government have reported that Michel’s political opponents engineered the deal in order to extinguish any possible aspirations he had of returning to domestic politics.
Belgian prime ministers must be born in Belgium and even though Michel’s return to power is highly unlikely, so was his ascent in the first place.
Michel’s spokesperson said that the former PM will consider legal action against Belgium but also teased the prospect of entering Dutch politics instead.
“Alexander may have wept for there were no more worlds to conquer, but for President Michel, there is now a new opportunity to change the course of history...,” he ominously added.
Extra! Extra!
*Le Chou is intended for purely satirical and entertainment purposes and does not reflect the views of The Brussels Times*
