The State of the Union speech by Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever will be postponed by up to one week, as announced on Monday afternoon in government circles.
The speech was due to be presented on Tuesday afternoon.
The inner cabinet met on Monday morning for budget talks. With a budget deficit that threatens to rise to €39 billion in 2029, the government faces a daunting task.
The negotiations are proving extremely difficult. There were working groups and bilateral talks between the Prime Minister and the Deputy Prime Ministers throughout the weekend.
Following the meeting on Monday morning, Prime Minister De Wever (N-VA) spoke briefly to the press, stating that "a budget is not a piece of paper."
Traditionally, the Prime Minister delivers his State of the Union address in the Chamber on the second Tuesday in October. At the start of the parliamentary year, the Prime Minister then gives his policy statement, which is based on the budget.
The aim now is for the inner cabinet to reach an agreement on that budget by the beginning of next week at the latest.
In any case, the inner cabinet will not be negotiating any further on Monday afternoon. Several ministers will be present in Florennes, where the first F-35s will be arriving.
