Belgian king rejects PM’s resignation, gives time for budget talks

Belgium's King Philippe has denied Prime Minister Bart De Wever's resignation offer and granted the governing coalition additional time to finalize a budget plan, according to a palace statement. De Wever, a Flemish conservative, had submitted his resignation on Monday after coalition members could not agree on the 2027 budget. The king has instructed De Wever to reconvene budget negotiations on Monday, November 16.

The Belgian monarch had waited until the end of the week to consult with members of the center-right governing alliance before making his decision.

De Wever informed parliament the day prior to his meeting with the king that the 2027 budget would commence under a temporary arrangement based on the previous fiscal year. He characterized the inability to pass a full 2027 budget as a "serious setback" for the government. The prime minister aims to achieve budget savings of €10 billion (approximately US$11.6 billion) by 2029 in an effort to reduce Belgium's deficit, which surpasses 5% of the country's GDP.

Proposed measures include spending reductions, particularly in healthcare, and a value-added tax increase, which faces opposition from one of the coalition partners, the francophone liberal Reformist Movement (MR). The growing tensions within the coalition have intensified following protests from unions against austerity measures.