Austria: New Leader of People’s Party Opens Talks with Right-Wingers
According to opinion polls, if new elections were organized in Austria, the right-wing would achieve an even better result than in last autumn's vote
The conservative Austrian People’s Party (ÖVP) is “open” to talks with the right-wing Freedom Austria Party (Freiheitliche Partei Österreichs, FPÖ) to form a governing coalition in Austria. This was announced by the new leader of the People’s Party, Christian Stocker (pictured), who said “the Conservatives are ready, if invited, to participate in such negotiations.”
For his part, Austrian Federal President Alexander van der Bellen announced that he would discuss the formation of the executive with FPÖ leader Herbert Kickl on Monday. Van der Bellen also noted that “voices within the ÖVP party against cooperation with Kickl have become quieter, suggesting that an agreement is possible.”
Karl Nehammer, who announced his resignation as federal chancellor and leader of the People’s Party on Saturday night, will remain in his post until a new chancellor is appointed in a transitional government next week. Austria’s political crisis erupted after FPÖ won parliamentary elections in September with 29% of the vote. The conservative ÖVP party attempted to form a centrist coalition with the Social Democratic Party (SPÖ) and the small center-liberal Neos party to keep the right-wing populists out of power. However, negotiations failed, and Nehammer maintained his position, “unwilling to run FPÖ led by Kickl.” Nehammer embarked on a collision course with the economic current of his own People’s Party, which instead chose to cooperate with the right-wing.
A new general election, which could be held in about three months, was also considered as an alternative to the FPÖ-ÖVP talks. According to opinion polls, if new elections were organized in Austria, FPÖ “would achieve an even better result than in last autumn’s vote.”
