Belgium's king considering PM Bart De Wever's resignation after budget talks fail, palace says

Belgium's Prime Minister Bart De Wever was at the Royal Palace on Monday morning to offer his government's resignation to King Philippe following failed overnight budget talks. Following a meeting that lasted one and a half hours, the King announced he was considering the Prime Minister's resignation and will meet with other coalition parties on Tuesday before deciding whether to accept it. The Wevers Coalition has been locked in protracted coalition talks to agree a federal budget for next year, with the government seeking €10 billion in savings by 2029 to reduce the country's high deficit. The government's right-wing parties want to clamp down on public spending, while the centrists and socialists propose increasing taxes on higher incomes and a VAT hike. A similar budget impasse also occurred last year when De Wever received a 50-day extension to reach an agreement. The latest government crisis takes place under pressure from trade unions, which have been mobilizing for months against austerity measures. But protests have brought tens of thousands of people into the streets. You, you, you, you.