New rebuff for Kickl

Video message: Nehammer wants to keep his word

Karl Nehammer sees Herbert Kickl as a "security risk".

(Bild: APA/HELMUT FOHRINGER)

Federal Chancellor Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) has reiterated his promises regarding government cooperation ahead of the upcoming talks with the FPÖ and SPÖ. "What I promised before the election, I will also keep after the election," he said in a two-minute video message on Thursday evening.

As a reminder: before the election, Nehammer ruled out forming a coalition with the FPÖ under the leadership of Herbert Kickl. The Federal Chancellor appears to have reaffirmed this.

Nehammer spoke of an election result with two faces. Although the ÖVP did not come first, many had voted for "confidence instead of fear". Now it was important to address the concerns of Austrians. "Those who voted for confidence instead of fear" have a word to say.

"And I will not forget that in future talks," said Nehammer, who sees the path clearly mapped out by Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen.

Nehammer takes up Van der Bellen's words
Because a "stalemate" between the FPÖ, ÖVP and SPÖ prevented the usual process of forming a coalition after the National Council elections, Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen had not tasked any party with forming a government for the time being. 

Nehammer's full statement in the video:

Instead, the three parties with the most votes should "reliably clarify which cooperation would be conceivable" by the end of next week. Election winner FPÖ leader Herbert Kickl wants to coordinate the talks with the SPÖ and ÖVP, but the timetable is still open.

Waiting for the Vorarlberg election
The invitations to the ÖVP and SPÖ have not yet gone out, the FPÖ said on Thursday. Nothing is likely to happen before the middle of next week and the talks will then be actively communicated. The outcome of the Vorarlberg state elections on Sunday is apparently being awaited. The ÖVP also had no concrete plans as yet. They wanted to comply with Van der Bellen's wishes, they said.

The SPÖ took a wait-and-see approach, saying that in view of the election results, the ball was in the FPÖ's court. A coalition with the Freedom Party was still ruled out. Nevertheless, they will talk to each other, as has already been customary in everyday parliamentary life. No date has yet been set with the second-placed ÖVP either.