King Philippe has asked Prime Minister Bart De Wever’s coalition to resume budget negotiations to repair strained public finances after De Wever offered his resignation; the king delayed accepting the resignation and will reconvene coalition leaders on Nov. 16. The five‑party coalition remains deadlocked on the budget as the dispute intensifies amid a worsening fiscal outlook: following two downgrades last year Belgium has suffered two more this year, and the central bank forecasts a 2025 defici

King Philippe has asked Prime Minister Bart De Wever’s coalition to resume budget negotiations to repair strained public finances after De Wever offered his resignation; the king delayed accepting the resignation and will reconvene coalition leaders on Nov. 16. The five‑party coalition remains deadlocked on the budget as the dispute intensifies amid a worsening fiscal outlook: following two downgrades last year Belgium has suffered two more this year, and the central bank forecasts a 2025 deficit of 5.2% of GDP—the euro‑area’s highest—rising to 5.7% by 2028.