The freedom before the big coup: does the first FPÖ Chancellor come?

The freedom before the big coup: does the first FPÖ Chancellor come?

The political waters in Austria are under tremendous pressure! On February 4, 2025, the FPÖ under Herbert Kickl could take over the Chancellery for the first time, a historical event that is targeted exactly 25 years after the first black and blue government. Various media report this, including OE24, which inform about the upcoming coalition negotiations between the FPÖ and the ÖVP. After the ÖVP has given the starting shot for the talks, the household issues that are of central importance for both parties are the first thing to do.

But right at the beginning of the negotiations, skepticism shows: Kickl itself is careful and has distrust of the ÖVP, while recruitment genius Reinhard Teufel should play a key role in the conversations. According to Diem Press, however, the political situation is tense. After the National Council election in September 2024, in which the FPÖ received the most votes, negotiations between the ÖVP, SPÖ and NEOS did not make any progress. The resignation of Chancellor Karl Nehammer and the exit of the NEOS from the negotiations have further destabilized the political landscape.

chronology of turbulence

Since the election, over three months have passed without a new government being established. On January 3, Neos boss Beate Meinl-Reisinger left the coalition negotiations because she lacked the necessary willingness to implement fundamental reforms. Then Nehammer announced his resignation and broke off the talks with the SPÖ. This political drama creates an enemy terrain for the upcoming conversations between the FPÖ and ÖVP, which is affected with the "Kickl risk" in question, as OE24 reports. Here the fronts between the parties seem to be hardening.