Belgian Prime Minister Offers Resignation After Budget Talks Collapse

Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever offered his resignation to King Philippe on the morning of November 2 after overnight budget negotiations between coalition partners ended without agreement.

De Wever met the king for roughly 90 minutes. The Royal Palace said the king would consider the offer and would consult the leaders of the other coalition parties beginning on Tuesday. The palace statement noted that, given geopolitical uncertainty and economic challenges, Belgium cannot afford an extended political crisis.

The government has been deadlocked for months over approximately 10 billion euros in budget cuts and tax increases that De Wever has said are required to stabilize public finances. Deputy Prime Minister David Clarinval of the MR party opposed what he described as excessive taxation. Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot of Les Engagés said listing all the remaining differences would take an eternity.

De Wever, leader of the Flemish nationalist N-VA, concluded that an agreement was not possible in the short term and formally tendered his resignation. The king is scheduled to meet him again on Friday. If the resignation is accepted, the king could ask other parties to attempt a new coalition or call fresh elections.

Belgium has experienced repeated government formation difficulties in recent years. The current coalition has held office only since the previous election cycle and has not produced a fully agreed multi-year budget. Markets and European partners have monitored the talks because of Belgium's debt trajectory and its role in EU fiscal coordination.

No alternative budget proposal has been tabled publicly as of November 2. The consultations that begin on Tuesday will determine whether any of the existing partners can still form a working majority or whether the process moves toward a new configuration. The palace has not indicated a deadline for its decision.

The episode adds Belgium to the list of European countries where budget disagreements have produced government-level instability in 2026.