Belgium’s five-party coalition has failed to agree on next year’s budget, prompting Prime Minister Bart De Wever to submit his resignation and King Philippe to begin consultations.
Anadolu Ajansı reported that Philippe spent more than 90 minutes with De Wever Monday before postponing a decision on the resignation. The king’s meetings with party leaders are meant to establish whether the coalition can still reach a budget agreement, the outlet said.
VRT identified Yvan Verougstraete, chairman of Les Engages, as the first coalition leader to meet Philippe Tuesday. Anadolu Ajansı reported that Verougstraete left after just over an hour and said he had offered ideas during the visit. “The match is not over yet,” Verougstraete told reporters.
CD&V Chairman Sammy Mahdi was next to meet the king, for about an hour, Anadolu Ajansı reported. Mahdi accused MR and Vooruit of not treating Belgium’s financial pressures with enough urgency. He warned that a prolonged stalemate could bring “Greek conditions” and said a negative market response to the uncertainty could threaten the country’s wider social welfare system.
EconoTimes previously covered De Wever’s plan to offer his government’s resignation after budget talks failed.
Anadolu Ajansı said additional consultations with party leaders were expected. Its report gave no date for Philippe’s decision on De Wever’s resignation.
