Belgian Prime Minister Offers Resignation After Budget Talks Collapse

Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever offered his resignation on 2 November after overnight budget negotiations collapsed. King Philippe did not accept the resignation immediately. The palace said the king would meet coalition party leaders from Tuesday and meet De Wever again on 6 November to assess the situation.

The five-party coalition has been deadlocked for months over roughly €10 billion in budget measures. De Wever’s Flemish nationalist N-VA and the liberal MR have pressed for deeper spending cuts, including in healthcare. Socialist and centrist partners have insisted on higher wealth taxes instead. No compromise was reached in the latest round of talks.

In a statement the Royal Palace noted the large geopolitical uncertainty and severe economic challenges facing the country. It said Belgium cannot afford a long political crisis. The king delayed action on the resignation and called for compromise among the coalition parties.

De Wever met the king for about 90 minutes on Monday morning before tendering the resignation. If the king ultimately accepts it, he could ask other parties to attempt a new coalition or call fresh elections. Belgium has a history of lengthy government-formation periods after elections.

The current coalition took office after the 2024 elections. Disagreements over fiscal policy have persisted since then. Belgium’s public debt and deficit levels have been under scrutiny from European institutions. The proposed measures include a mix of cuts and revenue increases that have divided the partners along linguistic and ideological lines.

Flemish and French-speaking parties have different priorities on taxation and social spending. The N-VA has long advocated structural reforms to reduce the deficit. Opposition parties have used the impasse to criticise the government’s ability to deliver a coherent fiscal plan.

Markets have so far shown limited reaction, but prolonged uncertainty could affect investor confidence and the country’s borrowing costs. The European Commission has previously urged Belgium to bring its deficit under control. Any new government would still need to present a budget that meets EU rules.

The palace statement emphasised the need for a rapid resolution. Party leaders will be consulted separately before the next meeting with De Wever. The outcome will determine whether the current coalition continues or Belgium faces another period of caretaker government.

De Wever has stated that the required adjustments are necessary to stabilise public finances. Coalition partners have countered that the burden should not fall disproportionately on social programmes. The failure of the latest talks leaves the 2027 budget unfinished and increases pressure on all sides to find a formula before the king’s next intervention.