Coalition thriller in Austria: Balks between the ÖVP and SPÖ!

Coalition thriller in Austria: Balks between the ÖVP and SPÖ!

In the past two weeks, negotiations between the ÖVP, SPÖ and NEOS have intensified in order to form a new federal government that is scheduled to achieve decisive progress on December 12th. The first talks must be completed by this date so that the party leader Karl Nehammer, Andreas Babler and Beate Meinl-Reisinger can decide whether the negotiations are continued. A central point of dispute is the question of new taxes, in particular the asset and inheritance taxes requested by the SPÖ, which are rejected by Nehammer. According to Noen , the conversations are particularly powerful in the economic area

The last exploratory date ended on Monday, when the ÖVP and SPÖ searched for ways to find coalitional solutions. With a total of 92 mandates in the National Council, the two parties have a narrow majority, but Neos was involved in the talks to create a more stable basis. This cooperation could result in a "stable majority" with a total of 110 mandates, reported orf.at . Politologist Kathrin Stainer-Hämmerle points out that it is not only about the number of mandates, but also the ideological differences between the parties that have so far made a comprehensive agreement. "A common bracket, we want to prevent Herbert Kickl is too little," she emphasizes.

challenges of the triple coalition

The possibility of a triple coalition is new territory for everyone involved. As the experiences from federal states such as Carinthia and Salzburg show, cooperation between three parties is possible, but associated with many challenges. The clear ideological ditch between the ÖVP and SPÖ could complicate the negotiations, which brings political scientists M. Meyer to say: "The formation of a triple coalition is more difficult than forming a coalition of two." Especially the area of ​​social achievements, such as the waiting period for refugees required by the ÖVP, encounters resistance from SPÖ and NEOS.