Austria before political upheaval: Kickl shortly before Chancellery!

Austria before political upheaval: Kickl shortly before Chancellery!

In a crucial step for Austrian politics, President Alexander Van der Bellen gave the FPÖ boss Herbert Kickl the order to form a new government. This was done after an approximately one -hour meeting between the two, in which Van der Bellen found that the "situation changed". In the National Council elections in September 2024, the FPÖ clearly won with almost 29 percent of the votes, but government formation initially seemed impossible because nobody wanted to coalize with the right -wing populists. Now, however, the previously dominant Chancellor Party ÖVP is ready to negotiate with the FPÖ about a possible cooperation, which is a profound change in the political landscape of Austria, as the NZZ reported.

government formation and political dynamics

The step of van der Bellen to give Kickl the chance of giving the Chancellery is historical because it is the first time that an FPÖ politician strives for this position. According to Van der Bellen, the ÖVP, under the new executive chief Christian Stocker, had previously covered the government's mandate, but the current change of course signals a willingness to work with the FPÖ. This political change had become necessary because talks had failed between the center parties. If you believe the votes within the ÖVP, the concerns about a cooperation with the FPÖ have decreased, which facilitates the negotiations, such as Vol.at

However, it will not be easy to create a common government program. While the two parties are largely agreed on questions such as migration and tax policy, there are considerable differences in foreign and security policy. The FPÖ is known for its Moscow-friendly attitude and EU-critical views that are in a strong contrast to the positions of the ÖVP.