BRUSSELS, 21st September, 2026 (WAM) — Belgium’s Prime Minister Bart De Wever has three more weeks to find €10 billion to fill the federal budget deficit, as the Federal Government fears being hit with a snowball of compounding interest in 2030.
The Belgian deficit sits at 5.2% of GDP, the highest in the eurozone, with the debt rising to over 110% of GDP this year. Across the eurozone, only France (116%), Italy (137%) and Greece (146%) have a higher relative debt than Belgium.
In the coming days, the discussion will continue “in depth,” but within working groups. The core cabinet will reconvene on Thursday evening to discuss the budget. The national and regional governments face an urgent need to make budget cuts and implement structural reforms.
The federal government is seeking 10 billion euros to get the budget somewhat back on track. De Wever stated Sunday that the positions are very divergent and that the exercise will be “very difficult”.
Source: Emirates News Agency