Belgian king refuses prime minister's resignation

The Belgian King rejected Prime Minister Bart de Wever's resignation and urged him to resume budget negotiations with coalition parties. Following a meeting with party leaders, the King noted their commitment to reach a budget agreement. De Wever had resigned due to a lack of consensus on the budget, but the King emphasized the need for a balance between social cohesion and economic growth. The coalition has been divided over measures to address a €10 billion budget deficit, with De Wever proposing austerity measures that faced public backlash and lacked support from coalition partners. He is expected to report back to the King on November 16.