ÖVP and SPÖ fail due to coalition talks: what is coming now?

ÖVP and SPÖ fail due to coalition talks: what is coming now?

Wien, Österreich - The coalition talks between the ÖVP and the SPÖ have finally failed, as the ÖVP announced this evening in an official message. ÖVP boss Karl Nehammer expressed that despite intensive efforts, there was no agreement on central key points. "An agreement is not possible in essential core points, so it has no sense for a positive future in Austria," emphasized Nehammer. This setback followed the previous negotiations with the NEOS, which had only been unexpectedly eliminated from the negotiating table on Friday, since they could see a missing will to reform from the other parties, as it was said in a report by Daily show.de.

After the abrupt end of the three-way coalition talks, the two remaining parties now want to find possible formation of government alone. Negotiations in the Chancellery have already started, but the challenges remain great. The ÖVP feels responsible for the failure of the talks with the NEOS through “backward -looking” forces within the SPÖ. An agreement between the ÖVP and SPÖ could be considered difficult primarily due to different views to coping with the economic crisis and the renovation of the state budget, reports 5min.at. Nehammer sees itself under considerable pressure to succeed, since his political fate depends heavily on the outcome of these negotiations.

The political situation is tense, because Nehammer has decided not to coalize the FPÖ under Herbert Kickl, although some forces within the ÖVP favor a collaboration with the right -wing populists. In a phase in which the FPÖ shows an increasing trend in surveys, a lack of success in the coalition talks could lead to new elections. Such a development would bring Nehammer in an uncertain position, not least because ex-chancellor Sebastian Kurz, should be new elections, as a possible top candidate could come back into play, which would mean further uncertainties for the political landscape.