Prime Minister Bart De Wever has until Christmas to reach a budget agreement or he will tender his resignation, according to reports in the Belgian media.
Following a meeting with his deputy prime ministers this afternoon, De Wever went to the Royal Palace for an audience with the King to report on the failure to reach an agreement.
Today was supposed to be the day De Wever presented his budget to the Belgian parliament. However, no agreement has been reached by De Wever's Arizona government, and there is little to suggest that the federal government will succeed in reaching an agreement on the multi-year budget in the near future.
According to reports in Le Soir and VTM Nieuws, De Wever has extended the budget negotiations by 50 days, giving himself until Christmas to reach an agreement. Le Soir claims that he will tender his resignation if he fails to do so by the end of December.
The Palace stated on Thursday afternoon that the Prime Minister and his government are not considering resignation, opting instead to take more time to reach an agreement on the 2026 budget and additional savings of up to €10 billion in the coming years. This target was set by De Wever.
King Philippe has acknowledged the Prime Minister’s report and urged all involved parties to take responsibility and overcome their differences. He emphasised the need for the country to establish a clear budgetary plan for the years ahead as soon as possible, according to the Palace press release.
In advance of his meeting with the King, De Wever appeared sanguine on social media. Posting on Instagram, the prime minister shared a photograph of himself sitting next to his cat Maximus.
“I have to leave to see the King,” De Wever says to the cat. “The King? You're already sitting next to him,” came the reply.
What went wrong with the budget negotiations?
Earlier, De Wever had set a deadline for Thursday to find an accord with coalition partners in the Arizona grouping. He suggested that failing to meet this deadline might require him to consult the King, prompting speculation about the possibility of his resignation.
In recent days, De Wever has conducted bilateral meetings with members of his coalition to address tensions. Talks have been characterised by mounting friction, with some parties privately accusing the Reformist Movement (MR) of refusing to compromise, particularly regarding a potential VAT increase.
The Prime Minister has refrained from making any public announcements before or after his audience with the King. Following his visit to the Palace, he is expected to appear in Parliament.
