Democratic process

One of the funnier ways of preventing the passage of a bill through parliament. From the April 18 issue of the Economist ("Trois strikes and you're out"). The bill's aim is to curb internet piracy by blocking persons who repeatedly download copyrighted content from obtaining broadband internet connections.

"But on April 9th, in a surprise vote, the lower house of France’s parliament rejected the law. Only 15 members of President Nicolas Sarkozy’s ruling UMP party, which wrote the bill, turned up for the final vote, which is usually just a matter of procedure—both houses of parliament had already approved the law’s main elements. At the last moment a group of Socialist members rushed in to oppose it, resulting in a 21-15 defeat. According to Libération, a French newspaper, the Socialists had hidden behind heavy curtains [emphasis mine] in the entrance to the parliamentary chamber."

Hiding behind the curtains - hilarious!