Former prime minister Jean-Luc Dehaene's cowboy hat, which he wore on a rodeo bull in the United States in 1995, has already attracted bids of more than €1,500 in an online auction for charity.
The youth wing of his party (CD&V) set out to raise at least €1,000 for the charity week, but that target has already been met.
The hat forms part of a wider campaign by Young CD&V, which is auctioning objects from recent Christian Democratic history for the Warmest Week.
Items include face masks worn by former minister Koen Geens and a checked tie from Joachim Coens.
The Dehaene family donated the hat via his son, Tom. According to Niewsblad, signs of wear make it highly likely to be the genuine piece.
Bids currently stand at €1,550, and the auction continues for more than a week.
