Belgian Prime Minister Offers Resignation After Budget Talks Collapse
A country's financial stability depends not only on economic indicators but also on the ability of political leaders to reach compromises. When disagreements over public spending develop into a government crisis, broader political stability can come under pressure.
Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever tendered his resignation on November 2 after the governing coalition failed to reach an agreement on the national budget, according to a statement published by the Belgian Royal Palace on X. King Philippe has deferred his decision on whether to accept the resignation.
The monarch is scheduled to begin consultations with the leaders of the governing coalition parties on Tuesday and meet De Wever again on Friday. The Royal Palace expressed regret over the failure to agree on a credible budget capable of addressing the country's current challenges.
Its statement emphasized that Belgium could not afford a prolonged political crisis amid geopolitical uncertainty and major economic difficulties. The king called on all parties involved to prioritize the public interest and demonstrate a willingness to compromise.
Belgium's five-party coalition has been negotiating a package of spending cuts and tax increases totaling 10 billion euros, approximately 11.2 billion U.S. dollars, to strengthen public finances.
However, coalition partners remain divided over how the financial burden should be distributed. De Wever's Flemish nationalist N-VA and the liberal MR favor tighter spending controls, including restrictions on healthcare expenditure. Socialist and centrist coalition partners argue that a greater share of the budget adjustment should come from taxes on wealth.
According to Eurostat, Belgium's budget deficit reached 5.2 percent of GDP in 2025, while government debt stood at 108.1 percent of GDP at the end of the year.
Both figures significantly exceeded the European Union's reference values of 3 percent and 60 percent, respectively.
As reported by SSTV+, Belgium's king has postponed a decision on Prime Minister Bart De Wever's resignation and will hold consultations with coalition leaders in an effort to resolve the country's budget crisis.
