Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever will remain in office after King Philippe rejected his resignation and instructed him to restart negotiations over the country’s 2027 budget. The decision keeps Belgium’s coalition government in place while parties try to resolve a dispute over how to address a projected deficit.
The Belgian Royal Palace said De Wever must report back to the king on Monday 16 November. The deadline gives the five governing parties a short period to reach agreement on a budgetary plan covering the next three years.
Belgian political crisis continues as budget talks restart
De Wever submitted his resignation on Monday after coalition partners failed to agree on the government’s spending plans. King Philippe initially delayed his decision while consulting the leaders of the five parties that make up the governing majority.
Following those discussions, the Palace said the party leaders had reaffirmed their commitment to completing the negotiations. It also said they had formally promised that their parties were willing to make concessions to secure an agreement.
The king’s decision means the resignation has not led to a change of government. Instead, De Wever has been asked to continue working with coalition partners and find a compromise on the public finances.
Why Belgium’s 2027 budget is proving difficult
The central dispute concerns how Belgium should close a deficit gap. De Wever is seeking measures worth €10 billion by 2029, but the governing parties disagree over the balance between spending reductions and increased revenue.
Options under discussion include:
- Reducing public spending;
- Increasing taxation and other government revenues;
- Raising value-added tax, a measure opposed by the francophone liberal Reformist Movement, known as MR; and
- Agreeing a broader budgetary path for the next three years.
The disagreement illustrates the political difficulty of managing Belgium’s finances within a multi-party coalition. Any agreement must satisfy parties with different regional, ideological and economic priorities while also providing a credible response to the deficit.
What happens next in Belgian politics?
De Wever is expected to lead renewed negotiations immediately. The prime minister’s next formal meeting with King Philippe is scheduled for 16 November, when he will report on progress.
Until then, the coalition parties must determine whether they can compromise on the proposed measures. The Royal Palace’s statement indicates that the government remains committed to reaching an agreement, but it does not confirm that a deal has been reached.
The political status is therefore unchanged: De Wever remains prime minister, while the budget negotiations continue. The king’s intervention has bought the coalition more time rather than resolved the underlying dispute.
Why the outcome matters beyond Belgium
Belgium’s budget negotiations are primarily a national political matter, but they have wider European relevance. Belgium is an EU member state and part of the euro area, meaning its fiscal plans are watched in the context of broader European budgetary and economic rules.
A prolonged disagreement could make it harder for the government to present a clear medium-term plan. Conversely, a coalition agreement would give Belgium’s public finances a more defined political direction and allow the government to proceed with its 2027 budget process.
The dispute also highlights the pressures facing coalition governments across Europe as they attempt to balance deficit reduction, public services, taxation and political stability.
What does the king’s decision mean?
King Philippe’s refusal to accept the resignation means De Wever has not been replaced and the government has not formally collapsed. The prime minister must now return to negotiations with the governing parties and demonstrate whether they can deliver the promised compromise.
No final budget agreement was announced in the Royal Palace statement. The key date is 16 November, when De Wever is due to update the king on the talks.
Conclusion
Belgium’s political crisis remains unresolved after King Philippe rejected Bart De Wever’s resignation and ordered the coalition to resume budget negotiations. The immediate priority is reaching agreement on measures intended to close a €10 billion deficit gap by 2029. The next major test will come when De Wever reports back to the king on 16 November.