Government negotiations: ÖVP, SPÖ and NEOS struggle for financial solutions!

Government negotiations: ÖVP, SPÖ and NEOS struggle for financial solutions!

Wien, Österreich - In the past few weeks, the coalition negotiations between ÖVP, SPÖ and Neos have increased in intensity. Although the parties agree in many areas, there are large differences in the budget. This reported where it is emphasized that the state treasury lacks around 24 billion euros in income. While NEOS and the ÖVP rely on output consolidation, the SPÖ calls for measures to increase the income, which among other things concerns the introduction of a wealth tax. But the People's Party and the NEOS vehemently reject them, and there is also increasing resistance to SPÖ boss Andreas Babler's plans within the SPÖ.

Gerhard Zeiler, a well-known SPÖ member and former media manager, critically commented on his party's tax claims. "A wealth tax has never worked," he said, and recommended the SPÖ to bring the inheritance tax into play instead of a wealth tax. Zeiler also questioned the election program of the SPÖ, which in his view was "too far left" and was unsuccessful. This coincides with fears under negotiators that the FPÖ could benefit politically from an EU deficit procedure, as orf reported.

The coalition negotiations were accompanied by a mutually acceptable decision on a seven-year consolidation path, which provides for a saving of 3.9 billion euros in the first year if an EU procedure is claimed. Fears of Austria's loss of reputation are in the room, while the parties continue to wrestle a minimal compromise, as was done in the negotiations between the ÖVP, SPÖ and Neos before Christmas. The total amount for savings by the end of the seven -year -old plan is around 18 billion euros.