The King of Belgium refused Prime Minister Bart De Wever’s resignation amid the failure of negotiations on the 2027 budget

Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever remains in office after King Philippe refused to accept his resignation, submitted following the failure of negotiations on the 2027 budget. The decision was announced on Friday, after a meeting between the monarch and the head of government.

The king made this decision after the leaders of the five parties in the governing coalition officially committed to making concessions in order to reach a compromise. They reaffirmed their intention to agree on a budgetary trajectory for the next three years, maintaining a balance between social cohesion and economic growth.

The crisis erupted after negotiations on tax reforms and the austerity package were blocked. The government must identify savings of approximately 10 billion euros by 2029 in order to comply with European Union rules on deficits and debt.

The coalition led by conservative nationalist De Wever brings together parties from left to right. The prime minister submitted his resignation on Monday after the negotiations failed, but the king subsequently met with the party leaders to overcome the impasse. De Wever will report the progress to the monarch on November 16.

Belgium is also facing pressure to increase defense spending within NATO, while trade unions and the public are protesting austerity. Approximately 40,000 people demonstrated in Brussels in October, while a separate march brought together 60,000 participants.

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