Each deputy prime minister may bring a second negotiator to De Wever on Monday as the interest bill keeps climbing
With his resignation refused, the prime minister is opting for one-on-one talks with each party, while economists warn that every week without a deal costs money.
Now that King Philippe has refused the government's resignation, budget talks resume on Monday in a different format. Prime Minister Bart De Wever (N-VA) will meet the deputy prime ministers separately, and according to the Belga news agency, quoted by VRT NWS, each of them may bring one extra person. La Libre writes that the second seat will probably go to the party presidents. MR president Georges-Louis Bouchez has long argued for such a format and told the paper he will be closely involved in drafting the budget. De Wever is due to report back to the King on 16 November.
The parties are meanwhile sticking to their own priorities. According to the VRT NWS live blog, Bouchez wants new revenue limited to one ninth of the effort, as set out in the coalition agreement, or roughly 1.1 billion euros. Speaking to RTBF, he called elections irresponsible and said finding 10 billion within 348 billion in public spending should be achievable. Oskar Seuntjens of Vooruit repeated that fairness is his party's only red line, N-VA president Valerie Van Peel described the situation as extremely serious and Les Engagés deputy prime minister Maxime Prévot said he was ready to go.
On Saturday RTBF set out what the delay is costing. Public debt stands at more than 719 billion euros, or 110.2 percent of GDP, this year's deficit is expected to come in around 33 billion euros and interest payments are running at some 16 billion euros a year. Belgian rates are at 4.4 percent, the broadcaster says, against 3.4 percent in Germany. Economist Eric Dor (IESEG) warns that rates will keep rising as long as a credible plan is missing. Geert Noels (Econopolis) sees Belgians' high savings as a buffer, but says domestic savers will also demand a higher return.
The opposition takes a different angle. PS president Paul Magnette estimates that the lack of a budget has already cost about one billion euros and wants large fortunes and energy companies to contribute, RTBF reports. PVDA group leader Sofie Merckx is asking the prime minister to change course, while Vlaams Belang wants voters to decide.