25/09/2010 13:49
Swiss Finance Minister’s laughing attack
Switzerland's Finance Minister Hans-Rudolf Merz burst into a giggle fit when he read a parliamentary speech on imports of cured meats.
Dozens of YouTube videos showing Hans-Rudolf Merz convulsing with laughter attracted thousands of views since it was posted on Internet Monday. His speech has been viewed by more than 300,000 people on YouTube and other websites since that day.
When Mr. Hans-Rudolf Merz read the word "Bündnerfleisch," an air-dried beef product, he suddenly burst into giggles, as the gallery and other politicians also joined in. According to the Guardian, this outburst has even led one maker of air-dried meats to advertise their products with the slogan: “Never lose your sense of humour.” Reportedly, Merz was particularly amused by the bureaucratic language in which the bill was written.