Belgian Prime Minister Resigns as Coalition Comes Under Pressure

Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel has resigned amid pressure on his government after the biggest party in his coalition quit over his support for the UN global compact on migration.

(Photo: AP)

Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel has resigned amid pressure on his government after the biggest party in his coalition quit over his support for the UN global compact on migration.

Michel told Belgian lawmakers on Tuesday, 18 December that "I am taking the decision to offer my resignation. I am now going to see the king to inform him”.

The lawmakers had been demanding that he submit his new minority government to a confidence vote, but Michel had so far refused and a confrontation seemed likely this week.

Amid calls from some in the assembly for an early election, Michel again refused, saying it would only lead to "stagnation for the whole of 2019." The next election is due in Belgium in May.

As lawmakers applauded, he picked up his briefcase, shook the hands of a number of government ministers, and left.

The right-wing N-VA party quit the government after Michel sought parliamentary approval to support the global compact against its wishes, branding his minority government "the Marrakech coalition," after the city where the U.N. global compact on migration was signed just over a week ago.