American politicians and voters may call themselves “liberal”, but to European standards, they still have a long way to go. Here’s is an example of liberalism in European politics;
A few years back, a surprised tourist made a telezoom video of - what turned out to be - the mayor of a sizable Belgian city enjoying a rather ill-timed intimate moment (i.c. doggy-style sex) with her partner, on what they assumed to be a secluded section of the battlements of romantic Olite Castle (Spain). Needless to say, the material was all over the press soon after.
In The States this would have spelled an instant end to any political career, at any level, no matter if you’re a Democrat or Republican, “liberal” or conservative.
In Belgium however, as Spanish authorities didn’t press any charges for indecent behavior in public, prosecutors considered this act to have been committed in private. And since in Belgium (as in most of the rest of Western Europe) the private sexual life - barring rape or child abuse - of politicians is strictly off-limits, there was no noteworthy fallout for her political career. This playful mischief was never even brought up by her political opponents.
As voters continued to appreciate her political productivity, she was re-elected the year after. And at her city's annual carnival festivities, she defiantly showed up in a damsel-in-distress costume, much to the amusement, approval, and foremost, respect (for her resilience) of her constituency.
By the way, all the while her party affiliation was with the center-right Flemish Christian-Democrats. Yes, you’ve read that right, a Christian party. They never even considered ditching her.
True liberalism judges politicians by the widespread and lasting improvements they bring to day-to-day life, rather than by their lofty and often hypocritical claims of defending certain values or ideologies.
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