Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen said on Sunday that he would meet far-right Freedom Party (FPÖ) leader Herbert Kickl on Monday, after coalition talks between the conservative Austrian People’s Party (ÖVP) and the Social Democrats (SPÖ) failed. Will meet.
Van der Bellen said, “The voices within the People’s Party that rejected cooperation with the FPÖ under Herbert Kickl have become much quieter. This means that a new path can open that did not exist before.”
The FPÖ, a party of pro-Russian Eurosceptics, emerged from parliamentary elections in September as the largest party with 29%. But he is unable to form the government as no other party will form an alliance with him.
Stalker signals change to OVP stance
However, on Sunday ÖVP’s newly appointed interim leader Christian Stocker said he was ready to negotiate with the FPÖ after talks to form a centrist coalition broke down.
“The leader of the party receiving the most votes will be tasked with forming the future government,” Stocker told reporters.
“If we are invited into these [coalition] talks, we will accept this invitation,” he said.
Stocker was chosen to lead Austria’s ruling conservative ÖVP after Chancellor Karl Nehammer ended coalition talks on Saturday and announced his resignation.
Even though Kikal’s FPEO won the top spot in the autumn national election, the President tasked Nehmer with forming a new government.
Nehmer had consistently denied working with Kikal and the FPO.
The collapse of coalition talks between ÖVP and SPÖ has brought the ÖVP back into contention to form a new government.
Is FPO and OVP alliance possible?
For example, there are overlaps in the FPO and ÖVP policy platforms, with regard to economic policy and restrictions on immigration. Austria has previously been governed by the ÖVP-FPÖ coalition under then-Chancellor Sebastian Kurz.
An alternative to FPÖ-OVP talks is a new election, which pollsters believe the FPÖ will win even more convincingly.
Van der Bellen said Nehmer would remain in post until a new chancellor is appointed in the coming week to lead a caretaker government if a coalition is formed.
Whichever party leads the next Austrian government will face a number of challenges, including an economy in recession, rising unemployment and a budget deficit of 3.7% of GDP – above the EU limit of 3%.
The EU Commission said Vienna would have to save between €18 billion and €24 billion ($18.56 billion to $24.75 billion).
lo/sms (AP, dpa, Reuters)