Critics tore away at Schauvliege, having been minister for just one day. The reason? A lousy tv interview with predictable questions, that Schauvliege nonetheless never saw coming. What was the last book she had read? The last play she had seen? Schauvliege did not produce an answer to the first question, "an amateur play in my home town, six months ago" she said to the latter. "That's culture too", she concluded, adding that young parents simply do not have all that much time for cultural outings. It all sounded, well, not very cultured.

Erwin Mortier and Tom Lanoye, two well respected writers, lashed out at her immediately. Would we accept a minister for Economy who does not know the difference between deflation and inflation, Lanoye asked. Mortier admitted that he had learned not to expect too much from ministers of Culture, yet Schauvliege's provincialism still baffled him.

All of that was very predictable too. In 1985, Patrick Dewael, only 30 at the time, became minister for Culture. A shock, because up until then, he was mostly know for defending the well-doings of free market politics. When Bert Anciaux (SP.A) became minister for Culture, the art world reacted skeptical - again - as Anciaux was somewhat of a Peter Pan figure, refusing to grow up. Yet both ended up being respected ministers for Culture.

Will that be Joke Schauvliege's fate too? She was not helped by Ludwig Caluwé, her party's spokesperson in the Flemish Parliament (where she had to admit she did not know the painting Dejeuner sur l'herbe). In defense of Schauvliege, Caluwé said that there is more than culture with a capital K. Capital mistake that was, since cultuur has been spelled with a C for some years now. On Facebook, Schauvliege has her own "hate group" by now, with the name "I have worked hard today, can I now become minister for Culture please", referring to her remark that she considered this to be "a reward for all her hard work".

It looks like Joke Schauvliege has more hard work in front of her. She can start by catching up on the reading. Thank God it's the holidays!