In Austria, efforts to form a coalition government excluding the far-right FPÖ have failed. The liberal Neos party withdrew from the negotiations yesterday, and today the conservative ÖVP ended the discussions.
The social-democratic SPÖ was the third party involved in the talks. The FPÖ had won the parliamentary elections at the end of September.
The three centrist parties attempted unsuccessfully over the past months to form a coalition government without the FPÖ, facing challenges primarily over budget agreements. “We tried everything, but failed to reach a broad agreement,” Austrian Chancellor Nehammer told the Austrian broadcaster ORF.
This failure has prompted him to announce his resignation within a few days, which he also declared in a video message on X, stepping down as the ÖVP party leader. Despite the FPÖ becoming the largest party in September’s elections, President Van der Bellen tasked the ÖVP with forming a new government, deviating from the tradition of asking the largest party’s leader.
The ÖVP entered negotiations with the SPÖ and Neos, but Neos withdrew surprisingly yesterday, citing a lack of ambition and progress by the other parties, according to Neos leader Meinl-Reisinger.
Source: NOS