Austria's first three-party coalition: change or standstill?

Austria's first three-party coalition: change or standstill?

On Friday, March 7, 2025, the newly formed federal government from the conservative People's Party ÖVP, the Social Democratic SPÖ and the liberal Neos will imagine the National Council. This historic triple-party coalition, which is referred to as the "Sugar Coalition", is presented in a plenary session with live broadcast from ORF 2 from 8.30 a.m. and ORF III from 9.05 a.m. Chancellor Christian Stocker and Vice Chancellor Andreas Babler will give a government statement to explain the intention and guidelines of their cooperation, while the first resolutions for distribution of department and budget renovation are on the agenda, such as ots.at reported.

government plans and challenges

The planned joint work program of the new coalition, which is still presented today, comprises about 200 pages. It emphasizes a clear position on the EU and Ukraine, including the appointment of your own Ukraine coordinator. Nevertheless, Austria's neutrality remains preserved because humanitarian support for Ukraine is put in the foreground. "We face historical challenges," said Stocker. This alliance is the first of its kind at the federal level after earlier coalition talks failed after the 2024 parliamentary election. Due to the growing pressure through the economic situation and a large budget deficit, the parties resumed their negotiations, such as Tagesschau.de

The negotiations, which are perhaps the most difficult in the history of the country, aim to end the political crisis. After almost five months had passed, Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen appealed to the responsibility of the political forces to reach an agreement. This newly formed government alliance could bring relevant changes in Austrian politics, since it is the first attempt to make a stable government since the election.