King keeps De Wever’s resignation under consideration for now
Prime Minister Bart De Wever offered his resignation after coalition parties failed to reach agreement on billions in budget measures.
Follow-up to: Belgian government still seeking billions for budget Sunday, 1 November 2026, 11:46
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Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever offered his resignation to King Filip on Monday. The king has kept the resignation under consideration for now and wants further talks between the coalition parties first.
According to NOS, the latest development follows overnight budget talks that ended without agreement. NOS reported that De Wever went to the Royal Palace in Brussels on Monday morning to offer his resignation. NOS said King Filip summoned the party leaders for talks; keeping the resignation under consideration is one possible outcome.
According to NOS, the Belgian government is seeking around €10 billion in measures over the next three years to remain within European budget rules. NOS reported that the budget deficit was 5 per cent last year, while the European standard sets a maximum deficit of 3 per cent. According to the same source, Belgium’s government debt is above 110 per cent of gross domestic product.
The impasse is partly about how the burden should be distributed. According to NOS, De Wever’s Flemish nationalist N-VA and the liberal MR mainly want to cut government spending, including on healthcare. NOS reported that Les Engagés, Vooruit and CD&V are instead pressing more strongly for tax increases. That difference makes a joint package politically difficult.
The resignation is therefore not yet a collapse of the government. According to NOS, the king can accept it, reject it or postpone the decision. If the resignation is accepted, new elections are one possible outcome, NOS reported, but the parties could also try to form a new government with the same composition.
For Belgium, more is at stake than an internal coalition dispute. Failure to introduce budget measures could increase pressure on the public finances and damage financial-market confidence. At the same time, a rapid agreement could prove politically costly for parties that have to explain higher taxes or lower public spending to voters.
The coming talks must make clear whether the coalition can still govern together or is merely trying to buy time. The king has not yet decided on the resignation; statements about elections or a new government are therefore provisional scenarios, not established facts.
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One story, several perspectives
What is established
- The Belgian coalition failed to reach agreement on the budget.
- The prime minister offered his resignation.
- The king kept the resignation under consideration.
- The coalition disagrees over spending cuts and tax increases.
Left
Arguments From a left-wing perspective, the budget should be balanced mainly through higher contributions from wealthy people and companies, so that public services and healthcare are not disproportionately affected.
Values Redistribution of burdens, public services and social protection.
Consequences Cuts to healthcare and social spending could increase inequality; higher taxes could provoke political and economic resistance.
Centre
Arguments A sustainable compromise must respect European budget rules, while also weighing the consequences for healthcare, purchasing power and economic growth.
Values Budgetary discipline, governmental continuity and practicality.
Consequences A broad package could defuse the crisis, but would probably require sacrifices from several groups and could therefore prove unpopular.
Right
Arguments The government should first limit its spending and introduce structural reforms before considering new taxes.
Values Lower government spending, responsibility towards future generations and room for entrepreneurs.
Consequences Rapid savings could improve the public finances, but could also affect public services and vulnerable groups.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The key facts are based directly on current reporting by NOS. Possible next steps are described as options rather than established outcomes.
- confirmed Bart De Wever offered his resignation to King Filip on 2 November 2026. — Reported by NOS. source
- confirmed The king kept the resignation under consideration and summoned the party leaders. — NOS describes keeping the resignation under consideration as a possible outcome and reports talks with the king. source
- confirmed The government is seeking around €10 billion in measures over three years. — According to NOS. source
Editor's note
It is established that De Wever offered his resignation and that King Filip kept the decision under consideration. The outcome of the talks and any election remain uncertain.Sources
The story so far
- Sunday, 1 November 2026, 11:46 Belgian government still seeking billions for budget
- Monday, 2 November 2026, 11:47 King keeps De Wever’s resignation under consideration for now (this article)
More on this in Dutch media
- NOS — „belgië begroting”
- Het Parool — „belgië begroting”
- Trouw — „belgië begroting”