Although both want

Impossible conditions for a black-blue coalition at federal level

That will be difficult: Manfred Haimbuchner wants a blue-black coalition with a Federal Chancellor Herbert Kickl. Claudia Plakolm would have nothing against black-blue, but without Kickl.

(Bild: Krone KREATIV/Harald Dostal, Markus Wenzel)

The cooperation between the ÖVP and FPÖ in Upper Austria is seen by many as a model for a coalition between the two at federal level. Local party grandees are also leaning towards this option. However, ideas on how and with whom this could be realized differ widely.

In her role as Federal Chairwoman of the Young ÖVP (JVP), Claudia Plakolm is currently touring the federal states, and on Tuesday the Mühlviertel native made a stop in her home state. The Youth State Secretary's word carries weight in the federal ÖVP, as she is in second place on the list for the National Council elections.

Also in Lower Austria and Salzburg
So when she praises the "objective, pragmatic policy" of the black-blue coalition in Upper Austria in an interview with the "Krone", it can certainly be taken to mean that she and the ÖVP would also prefer this constellation in the federal government. The black-blue coalition in Upper Austria was also a "role model for other federal states" (Lower Austria and Salzburg).

Kickl "a real danger for our country"
However - and this is not just her line, but has been the official ÖVP line for months: with Herbert Kickl at the helm, there will be no cooperation with the FPÖ, she reiterates once again. After all, Kickl represents a "real danger to our country".

ÖVP as the only possible FPÖ partner
Manfred Haimbuchner is Kickl's deputy as FPÖ federal party leader, and his word also carries weight in the party. He told the APA on Wednesday that the ÖVP was the only possible coalition partner after the National Council elections due to the overlaps in content.

So who should the ÖVP even form a coalition with?
Now it is important to win the election. And Nehammer is far ahead of Kickl in the direct question of chancellor.

Only under Chancellor Kickl
So everything is ready for black-blue? Not at all. Because, according to Haimbuchner: "Our goal, my goal, is an FPÖ-ÖVP coalition with a liberal chancellor." And this could only be Herbert Kickl. "If the FPÖ does not become the strongest party, then there will be no coalition." It will be interesting to see.

(Bild: Krone KREATIV, Alexander Schwarzl, Markus Wenzel)

Kommentar

Was darf man noch glauben?

The conditions that the ÖVP and FPÖ are imposing on each other make a black-blue or blue-black coalition de facto impossible. So will there be a three-party coalition - either without the ÖVP or without the FPÖ? Not necessarily. Because what is claimed before the election does not always have to be true afterwards. In Lower Austria, Johanna Mikl-Leitner (ÖVP) forged a coalition with Udo Landbauer (FPÖ). He had previously denigrated her as a "Muslim mom" and ruled out working with him. The situation was similar in Salzburg. So who knows how credible the statements from the ÖVP and FPÖ are now?