ÖVP boss Mahrer: Path to blue-black open despite skepticism!

ÖVP boss Mahrer: Path to blue-black open despite skepticism!

The political landscape in Austria is at a crucial turning point. After talks about a traffic light coalition failed, Harald Mahrer, the ÖVP chief negotiator and powerful business representative, spoke in an interview oe24 about the future direction of the People's Party. “It just didn't work out,” he said, disappointed with how the negotiations went. Mahrer emphasizes that the ÖVP does not want to give up its political principles and points out that a key issue in budget planning is the expenditure side. Despite the challenges, he is optimistic about the possibility of a coalition with the FPÖ and says: “Everything is possible.” However, the ÖVP makes it clear that it will not abandon its principles, not even in potential negotiations with the Freedom Party.

Clarity about conditions required

In the same breath, the Vienna ÖVP leader Karl Mahrer commented in an interview with the press and sets conditions for a possible coalition with the FPÖ. Although he had previously ruled out working with Herbert Kickl, he now sees himself in a “no alternative situation” due to the political weakness of the SPÖ under Andreas Babler. Mahrer is skeptical as to whether the negotiations with the FPÖ will lead to a positive result, but calls for close monitoring of the talks. He demands that Kickl make a clear demarcation from the Identitarians and a commitment to the European Union and the common fight against anti-Semitism.

Although the challenges are on the table, Mahrer does not expect any negative effects on the upcoming Vienna elections in the fall. He describes it as crucial to bring “law and order, performance and reason” back to the foreground and has the intention of preventing the SPÖ from gaining an absolute majority in order to strengthen the ÖVP and ensure better government responsibility.