Brussels: Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever handed in his resignation Monday as a long-simmering budget crisis boiled over, but King Philippe has not yet decided whether to accept it. De Wever, a conservative Flemish nationalist, took office determined to tackle heavily indebted Belgium’s budget problems but failed to win the support of the other members of his five-party government for his proposals. Belgium’s Royal Palace confirmed that De Wever had resigned “following the failure of budget negotiations within his government.” The King, who oversees the formation of national governments, is “withholding his decision” on whether to approve. “The King regrets the lack of an agreement that would provide the country with a credible budget capable of addressing the challenges it currently faces,” said a statement from the palace, following a meeting of about an hour between the two men. King Philippe intends to consult with party group leaders from Tuesday, before receiving De Wever at the palace again Friday. De Wever, who took office in February 2025, is now struggling to clinch a deal on the 2027 budget before December 31.
Belgium is one of the most heavily indebted countries in the 27-nation European Union, along with France and Italy. Its debt load has been mounting for years, but the Covid pandemic and an energy crisis made things worse. The European Commission has forecast Belgium’s debt to rise to 110% of its gross domestic product this year. The interest accumulating on that debt also poses a major challenge at a time when the government wants to boost defence spending. The government crisis comes against a backdrop of growing student protests in the country and frequent strikes, including several “national action days” led by unions.
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