European governments clash over budget deficits as elections near: Czech PM blames private schools, Spain misses deadline

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9 days · 5 summary articles
European governments are grappling with budget deficits and political tensions as elections loom, with fiscal pressures sparking disputes over spending and governance.
In the Czech Republic, Prime Minister Andrej Babiš has blamed private schools for the country’s high budget deficit, framing them as a drain on state funds amid broader negotiations over the national budget . Meanwhile, the Motorist party and the SPD have criticized the proposed 389 billion koruna deficit for next year, with Motorists meeting with ANO ministers to discuss potential savings in education and healthcare, according to political scientist Vít Hloušek of Prague’s Metropolitan University .
In Spain, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s coalition government is under strain as it struggles to secure support for its 2027 budget proposal, which it aims to present before year’s end. The budget, billed as the first of the legislature, includes a record social spending allocation, but its approval remains uncertain, with opposition parties signaling resistance . The government has also missed the legal deadline for budget submission for the fourth consecutive year, with Economy Minister Carlos Cuerpo stating it would be ready “when prepared” .
In Belgium, tensions are rising ahead of budget negotiations, with Socialist Party leader Paul Magnette criticizing the right-wing government’s economic record and the “cacophony” surrounding the process. A dispute over a potential VAT increase has already emerged between Prime Minister Bart De Wever and MR leader Georges-Louis Bouchez, who has ruled out such a move .
Romania’s PSD, the election winner, is in talks to form a government, with AUR setting conditions for cooperation, including official negotiations and a prime minister acceptable to the party .
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