Overview
- Prime Minister Bart de Wever submitted his resignation after a restricted Council of Ministers failed to agree a 2027 budget and a proposed €10 billion fiscal adjustment through 2029.
- Coalition partners split sharply over fiscal measures: MR opposed a one-point VAT rise, Vooruit and Les Engagés blocked health cuts, and proposals to freeze wage and benefit indexation did not pass.
- De Wever rejected reducing the package to €8 billion and refused to use provisional monthly budget allocations, a short-term mechanism that would let Belgium start 2027 without an approved budget.
- The king can accept, reject or suspend the resignation and is expected to consult party leaders before deciding whether the government stays in office or returns to talks.
- Public opposition has been widespread, with recent national protests and arrests and a large union strike planned for late November, raising the stakes for any resumed negotiations and for public services.