Belgian prime minister quits after budget talks fail as king mulls whether to accept his resignation
The king has not yet decided whether to accept the resignation as coalition parties remain split over spending cuts and tax increases.
- On Monday, Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever tendered his resignation following a failed budget crisis, but The King is "withholding his decision" on whether to accept it.
- De Wever failed to win support for his 2027 budget proposals from coalition partners, exacerbating Belgium's financial strain as one of the most heavily indebted countries in the 27-nation European Union, with debt forecast to rise to 110% of gross domestic product this year.
- The Prime Minister could not reach an agreement with coalition partners including Vooruit, Flemish Christian, and Francophone parties, while facing a Dec 31 deadline to finalize the 2027 budget deal.
- Starting Tuesday, The King intends to consult with party group leaders to resolve the crisis, urging all parties involved "to prioritise the public interest and a willingness to compromise."
- King Philippe will receive De Wever at the Royal Palace again on Friday, as the political crisis unfolds amid frequent strikes and "national action days" led by unions.
261 Articles
261 Articles
The Belgian federal government has settled in deep political uncertainty following the failure of its economic negotiations. Prime Minister Bart de Wever has come to the Royal Palace on Monday to present his resignation to King Philip of Belgium, after the restricted Executive noted at dawn the inability of the five parties that make up the coalition led by De Wever to reach an agreement on the 2027 budgets and set a plan of cuts worth 10 billio…
Belgian government on the brink after budget talks collapse
Belgium’s King Philippe sought on Monday to defuse a political crisis after overnight budget talks collapsed, prompting Prime Minister Bart De Wever to offer his resignation. De Wever tendered his resignation during a 90-minute meeting with the king on Monday morning after coalition parties failed to break months of deadlock over next year’s budget. The Royal Palace said the king would consider De Wever’s offer but would also consult the leader…
Belgium's budget crisis intensifies as De Wever abandons full coalition talks for one-on-one meetings
Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever held individual meetings with coalition deputies after weeks of failed negotiations, warning that unresolved budget talks could trigger a government crisis.
Belgian Prime Minister De Wever submitted his resignation to the King this morning, but the King did not immediately accept it. King Philippe is considering the resignation and will speak with the various party leaders in the coming days. This marks the beginning of a new chapter in the crisis gripping the Belgian federal government. ‘No one seems willing to compromise.’
Algemeen Dagblad
ed.nlBelgium is in a deep political crisis; the Prime Minister offered his resignation on Monday. What is going on with our southern neighbors? We ask Stavros Kelepouris, political journalist at the daily newspaper De Morgen.
The Prime Minister handed over his letter of resignation to King Philippe on Monday morning, but the negotiations continue. A new audience at the royal palace is scheduled for Friday.The night will have been short. And restless. Only a few hours after leaving his office, around 2:30 in the morning, the Belgian Prime Minister handed over his letter of resignation to King Philippe on Monday morning. Upon leaving the royal palace in the rain, in hi…
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