Belgian Prime Minister Bart de Weber offered his governments resignation to King Philippe on Monday, but the monarch chose to take the decision "under consideration" rather than accept it immediately, setting a crucial meeting with de Weber for Friday. The political crisis stems from the collapse of budget negotiations within De Weber's five-party coalition. The prime minister, who took office in February 2025, has been unable to reach agreement on the 2027 budget, with coalition partners divided over whether to prioritize spending cuts or tax increases to tackle Belgium's mounting debt. The impasse pits the Flemish national N-VA and the liberal MR against the socialist Kadima, the Christian Democratic CD&V and the Les Engagés centre. After a meeting of more than an hour at the royal palace, King Philip confirmed that he would not immediately accept the resignation, but would begin consulting with party leaders from Tuesday. The palace statement stated that the king "regrets" the lack of agreement and emphasized that Belgium "cannot afford a prolonged political crisis". De Weber is due to return to the palace on Friday, where a plan to resolve the impasse is expected to be on the table. According to Belgium's constitutional system, the king can reject the resignation of a prime minister or leave it at discretion, giving the coalition more time for negotiations.