Government negotiations: ÖVP and SPÖ bring Neos back into the boat!

Government negotiations: ÖVP and SPÖ bring Neos back into the boat!

In the intensive coalition negotiations in Austria, there are new developments: the NEOS are back on board after both the ÖVP and the SPÖ welcome cooperation with the party led by Beate Meinl-Reisinger. As OE24 may want to offer the potential partners of the NEOs-education and foreign matters. This could also be a response to the violent criticism of the NEOS to SPÖ boss Andreas Babler during the failed first negotiations.

The NEOs currently examine the proposals and plan a member survey in order to receive their consent to the reconciliation into the talks. This happens after the NEOS initially got out of the negotiations and accused the SPÖ to have deliberately blocked the conversations. As the press , but the wind had now turned the possibility of a third coalition partner to be necessary to the shaky majority on the National Council Stabilize.

Important department distributions in view

The negotiations between the three parties are in full swing, with a meeting between the party leaders planned for Friday. In addition to education, the NEOS could also receive the judicial department during the department distributions, while the ÖVP is aiming for the agendas for internal, defense as well as economy and agriculture. Among other things, the SPÖ can concentrate on the areas of finance, social affairs and infrastructure. It is particularly interesting that the Ministry of Finance, if the negotiations are successful, could be managed by the SPÖ for the first time in 25 years.

The upcoming discussions should be crucial for the final coalition agreement. It can be assumed that important course for the ministries will be made at the weekend and the NEOS could hold a general meeting on February 28 to clarify the upcoming steps. Despite these turns, the Freedom Party expresses a skeptical coalition and speaks of a "voter fraud", the traffic light coalition should become a reality. Furthermore, a few days of intensive negotiations are to be expected, while the Federal President is informed about the state of affairs.