Austria on the home stretch: new coalition in sight!

Austria on the home stretch: new coalition in sight!

Austria is facing a decisive change in politics! Federal President Van der Bellen expressed optimism after talks with the party leaders of ÖVP, SPÖ and NEOS and emphasized that they wanted to form a government together. “Something has really moved on now,” said Van der Bellen, while pointing to the urgency of addressing the tense geopolitical and internal security situations. He particularly emphasized the need to tackle developments for the better “quickly and sustainably”. The situation is challenging and he wants the new government to lead Austria back to the top orf.at reported.

NEOS boss Meinl-Reisinger and SPÖ boss Babler were also optimistic about the negotiations after talks had previously stalled. A viable basis for joint government work has emerged, and the goal now is to form a government capable of acting as quickly as possible. “A lot has changed” is also the motto of Meinl-Reisinger, who pointed out that the last few months have been a test of patience for the population noe.orf.at.

Focus on government formation

The parties plan to overcome the blockades from January in order to forge a pro-European, progressive coalition on equal terms. A possible earliest date for the swearing-in could be March 3rd or 4th, should the NEOS members approve. The interest in forming a stable government is there as the parties involved work intensively towards the common goal of addressing urgently needed reforms in areas such as education and internal security.

As negotiations progress, some parties such as the FPÖ are voicing concerns and calling it a "biggest voter fraud", while the Greens see the potential new coalition as a relief for the political landscape. A sign that the political landscape in Austria is continuing to shift and a new era is ushering in.