Belgium's Prime Minister De Wever Tenders His Government's Resignation After Budget Talks Collapse, as the King Defers a Decision
Brussels — Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever went to the Royal Palace on the morning of November 2, met King Philippe for about 90 minutes and formally tendered his government's resignation. The Palace said the King would hold his decision in abeyance, consult the leaders of the governing coalition parties from November 3, and receive De Wever again on Friday, November 6.
The resignation followed the collapse of budget talks: the coalition's core cabinet negotiated from Sunday evening until after 1 a.m. on Monday without agreeing on roughly 10 billion euros (about $11.2 billion) in savings and tax measures through 2029. The five-party "Arizona" coalition — the Flemish nationalist N-VA, the liberal MR, the centrist Les Engagés, the Flemish Christian Democrats CD&V and the socialist Vooruit — split over the balance between spending cuts, including health care, and higher wealth taxes.
Belgium's fiscal deficit was about 5.2 percent of GDP in 2025, well above the EU's 3 percent ceiling, with public debt around 108 percent of GDP. Amid the deadlock, Belgian bond yields rose to multi-year highs and unions threatened a general strike.
De Wever's fate also bears on Ukraine: Brussels-based Euroclear holds the bulk of the frozen Russian central bank assets, about 185 billion euros, and De Wever has been among the strongest opponents of using them to back a reparations loan for Ukraine, demanding legal guarantees and shared risk among member states. Kyiv and EU capitals are watching how the Brussels crisis ends.
The Palace said the King regretted the failure to agree on a credible budget and called on all sides to show a sense of responsibility. GSM will follow the King's decision on Friday.
Related: Belgium: Budget Talks Deadlocked Again, De Wever Expected to Tender Resignation
(Source: Reuters)
Source: Reuters
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：比利时首相德韦弗到访欧盟委员会（资料图）。他11月2日向国王菲利普递交了政府辞呈。CC BY 4.0，经 Wikimedia Commons。 / Photo: Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever visiting the European Commission (file photo). CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
