Federal core cabinet reconvenes as budget deadlock persists
The federal government’s core cabinet will meet again on Monday evening at 7 PM. According to several sources, the stalled budget negotiations will once more be at the top of the agenda.
Prime minister Bart De Wever is seeking at least 10 billion euros in savings to bring Belgium’s federal finances back on track by the end of his government’s term. He had originally hoped to present his government’s budget plans to Parliament last Tuesday.
But those hopes were dashed when talks to close Belgium’s widening budget gap broke down and the deadline was moved up one week. While several sources point to tensions within the liberal MR party, difficulties are said to extend across the five-party coalition.
Because of the impasse, the government's core cabinet did not convene over the weekend. Instead, working groups met to address unresolved elements of the government’s summer agreement, including reforms to the labour market, pensions and capital gains tax.
Best and final offer
Those discussions were meant to feed into Monday’s meeting, but sources say little progress was made on those "loose ends" in recent days. With key issues still unresolved, a breakthrough before Tuesday’s new deadline appears unlikely.
As a result, the full cabinet will again focus on the budget this evening. According to sources, the prime minister will put his "best and final offer" on the table, in an attempt to put extra pressure on the talks.
That pressure might be necessary, as De Wever's time is running out. On Sunday, Chamber of Representatives president Peter De Roover cautioned that the "natural deadline" for next year’s budget is rapidly approaching. "If the budget is not submitted by the end of October, it will be very difficult to get it approved in Parliament before 31 December," he told VRT.
"If the budget is not submitted by the end of October, it will be very difficult to get it approved"
While federal budget talks remain deadlocked, the Health budget for 2026 did get the green light. The budget represents 41.3 billion euros and includes more targeted antibiotic prescriptions and an increase in co-payments for certain drugs (though not for visits to general practitioners), the cabinet of Health minister Frank Vandenbroucke announced on Monday.
© BELGA PHOTO JONAS ROOSENS
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