Negotiations on a knife's edge: ÖVP struggles for coalition harmony!

Negotiations on a knife's edge: ÖVP struggles for coalition harmony!

In the tense atmosphere of the coalition negotiations between the ÖVP, SPÖ and Neos, the pressure is increasing. Loud vienna.at The ministerial positions in question are on the list of negotiators as the ÖVP federal party executive committee meets on Wednesday. The discussions have come to a head in the last few days, and many crucial issues are still open. While the FPÖ confirmed that there had been no breakdown in negotiations, the ÖVP negotiators were surprised by the party's internal coordination. Chamber of Commerce General Secretary Wolfgang Hattmannsdorfer stated in an interview with the “Salzburger Nachrichten” that the chances of an agreement are currently “fifty-fifty”.

Dispute over the state budget

A central point of contention in the negotiations is the restructuring of the state budget. While the ÖVP focuses on reducing spending, the SPÖ favors new tax revenues. Hattmannsdorfer commented in an interview with today.at critical of these plans and warned of the dangers of tax increases in the current economic situation. “Impacts are getting closer, the detonations are becoming more violent,” explained Hattmannsdorfer, emphasizing the need to revive economic growth and preserve jobs. He is convinced that less government spending is crucial to secure prosperity and the welfare state.

The negotiations are strenuous and require a balancing act between the parties' different worldviews. Hattmannsdorfer described the talks as “time-consuming and demanding in terms of content,” but is optimistic that a compromise can be found to put together a strong government program for Austria. The target date for the first interim report is expected on December 12, but the path to a stable government remains uncertain.