BRUSSELS — Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever offered his government's resignation on Monday, November 2, after the five coalition parties failed to agree on the national budget.
King Philippe has not accepted the resignation and will begin consultations with coalition leaders on Tuesday. He will meet De Wever again on Friday, November 6.
The dispute centers on plans to save €10 billion over the coming years. N-VA and MR favor spending cuts, including in healthcare, while other coalition parties support tax increases.
King Philippe warned that Belgium cannot afford a prolonged political crisis and urged the parties to reach a compromise to prevent the government's collapse.