Government crisis: Belgian Prime Minister De Wever offers to resign

Amsterdam. Belgium's Prime Minister Bart De Wever has offered King Philippe his resignation following the preliminary failure of budget negotiations.

Before making a decision, Philippe wants to hold talks with the leaders of the five coalition parties starting this Tuesday, as the royal palace in Brussels announced. De Wever from the Flemish nationalist party N-VA will remain in office for the time being.

Specifically, the negotiations are about the budget for 2027 and a savings package with which the center-right government wants to achieve savings of around ten billion euros by 2029. The pressure is growing, especially with a view to the budget for 2027. Negotiations about this failed after a long struggle on Monday night.

King Philippe regrets that no agreement has been reached on a budget that meets the country's current challenges, it said. “Given major geopolitical uncertainties and significant economic challenges, the country cannot afford a protracted political crisis.”

The King therefore appeals to the sense of responsibility of everyone involved and calls on all parties to put the common good and the willingness to compromise in the foreground. The king wants to receive Prime Minister De Wever again on Friday.