BRUSSELS — Prime Minister Bart De Wever on Thursday told the Belgian parliament that he asked King Philippe to give the government until Christmas to hash out a budget deal.
Government parties have been locked in tense talks in an attempt to nail down the country’s budget and make good on the coalition’s promise to cut €10 billion in spending.
“Our situation can no longer tolerate procrastination,” De Wever told lawmakers after his conversation with the king. “We must not allow ourselves to be paralyzed. We must take decisive action and show that this country is resilient. That is why I asked: ‘Sire, give me 50 days.’”
But, De Wever warned, “I will say right away that this maximum period will not be extended.”
Amid disputes over plans to raise VAT and suspend automatic wage indexation — and against fierce protests over planned spending cuts — the Belgian government has missed several self-imposed deadlines to reach a budget deal. Without one, it will be forced next year to rely on an emergency system allowing it to spend one-twelfth of the 2025 budget each month.
The budget turmoil comes with Belgium under pressure on the European level to endorse a plan to unlock €140 billion in frozen Russian assets — most of which are held by the Brussels-based financial firm Euroclear — to support Ukraine.
The European Commission is due to meet with the Belgian government Friday in a bid to break the political deadlock.
This story is being updated.
