Belgian king rejects PM’s resignation, gives time for budget talks
Bart De Wever offered his resignation on Monday after coalition partners failed to reach an agreement on the 2027 budget.
King Philippe of Belgium rejected Prime Minister Bart De Wever's resignation offer on Friday, granting the governing coalition additional time to negotiate a new budget aimed at reducing costs, as reported by the palace. De Wever, a Flemish conservative, had submitted his resignation on Monday after coalition partners were unable to agree on the 2027 budget.
The king consulted with members of the centre-right governing alliance over the course of the week before deciding not to accept the resignation. De Wever informed parliament the day before meeting with the king that the 2027 budget would commence with a temporary arrangement based on the previous fiscal year. He described the inability to pass a full 2027 budget as a "serious setback" for the government.
De Wever aims to achieve budget savings of €10 billion (US$11.6 billion) by 2029 to address Belgium's deficit, which exceeds 5% of GDP. His proposed measures include spending cuts, particularly in healthcare, and a VAT increase that has been opposed by one of the coalition members, the francophone liberal Reformist Movement (MR).
The coalition has become increasingly divided due to resistance from unions protesting the austerity measures.
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