Austria at a turning point: Is the new government finally coming?

Austria at a turning point: Is the new government finally coming?

Austria is facing a potential turning point in the political landscape! After a months-long tug-of-war that lasted over 150 days, a new three-way alliance of ÖVP, SPÖ and NEOS could finally form the government. How Tagesschau reported, negotiations have begun again after Federal President Van der Bellen urgently appealed to the parties' willingness to compromise. A central topic of the talks is the restructuring of the federal budget in order to avoid a possible looming EU deficit procedure.

One step forward, one step back

The initial situation is tense: the talks between ÖVP boss Christian Stocker, SPÖ boss Andreas Babler and NEOS chairman Beate Meinl-Reisinger are anything but secure. If the NEOS base does not agree on February 28th, there is a risk of new elections, which could further deepen the political chaos. AUSTRIA reports that the Zuckerl coalition, which many Austrians find unpopular, is starting with 70% rejection among the electorate. This presents a delicate situation for the incoming government.

The most important goal of the new alliance will be to turn the lost influence of the right-wing FPÖ, which received the most votes in the last election, into a positive. Optimists among political observers see this “sugar coalition” as an opportunity for stabilization, despite the re-emerging difficulties. The hope lies in new faces in ministerial positions, such as the appointment of Wrabetz as finance minister. Nevertheless, it remains to be seen whether this close-knit group will succeed in getting the economy out of the quagmire and creating the necessary spirit of optimism.