Belgium’s federal government failed again on Monday morning to agree next year’s budget, and Prime Minister Bart De Wever was due to see King Philippe later in the day as the coalition’s deadlock deepened. The immediate issue is not only the missing budget deal, but also whether the king will be asked to accept a resignation or give the government more time.

What the coalition could not settle

Talks in the restricted Council of Ministers ran until late Sunday night and ended without agreement on how to mobilise €10 billion by 2029. That target has driven months of arguments over whether the coalition should cut spending or raise taxes.

De Wever’s Flemish nationalist N-VA and the liberal MR have pushed for cuts in healthcare spending. Their socialist and centrist partners have argued instead for higher taxes on wealth. De Wever has said the spending measures are needed to keep public finances under control.

The dispute comes as Belgian government borrowing costs have risen sharply in recent months. De Wever has warned that the country could end up borrowing simply to pay interest on existing debt if that spiral continues.

Why the king’s role matters

Reports in De Tijd and De Standaard said De Wever was expected to go to the royal palace on Monday. They differed on the exact purpose of the visit: one account said he was likely to submit the government’s resignation, while another said it remained unclear whether he would resign or only brief the king on the crisis.

That distinction matters because Belgium’s king can either accept a resignation or give the coalition more time to keep negotiating. De Standaard said the outcome would depend on the result of the meeting with Philippe.

One deputy prime minister told Le Soir that the meeting could push coalition partners into a final attempt at compromise, with talks due to continue from Monday to Tuesday. A government representative warned that if no agreement emerges, Belgium faces a serious political shock.

For now, the budget fight has moved beyond a technical dispute over spending and taxes. It has become a test of whether Belgium’s coalition can still hold together under pressure from fiscal targets, rising debt costs and an unresolved decision at the royal palace.