Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever is due to meet King Philippe on Monday to offer his resignation after negotiations over next year’s budget ended without a deal, leaving his five-party coalition on the verge of collapse.
Senior government officials held intensive talks over the weekend in a last attempt to resolve the dispute, but negotiations continued into the early hours of Monday without producing an agreement. Tuesday had been widely regarded as the unofficial deadline for reaching a deal, since the budget must still pass through parliament before the end of the year.
The negotiations focused on closing a €10 billion gap in Belgium’s public finances. De Wever also wanted the agreement to reassure financial markets that Belgium remains on course to meet its obligations to the European Union.
Belgium recorded a deficit equivalent to 5.2% of gross domestic product in 2025, and that figure is expected to increase next year.
Sources: Politico Europe.