Wallner and Bitschi

Who with whom?

FPÖ leader Christof Bitschi and ÖVP leader Markus Wallner

(Bild: Mathis Fotografie, Krone KREATIV)

The state elections in Vorarlberg are over and speculation about possible coalitions has already begun. In his column "Klartext", "Krone Vorarlberg" editor-in-chief Emanuel Walser explains why basically everything speaks for black-blue. The catch? Governor Markus Wallner and FPÖ leader Christof Bitschi have never really been "green" with each other.

The ÖVP got off lightly, Markus Wallner will also head the new state government. The question is, what will it look like? Basically, everything speaks for black-blue. The overlaps in terms of content are definitely there, especially as the Ländle-VP has moved noticeably to the right over the past two years - and thus increasingly distanced itself from its Green coalition partner. Conversely, the Vorarlberg Freedom Party has spared itself unnecessary excursions to the far right and differs clearly in its rhetoric from FPÖ hardliners such as Herbert Kickl or Harald Vilimsky.

Rebellious "three-cheese high"
But what is perhaps even more important: will Wallner and Christof Bitschi find each other? The two of them have had a hearty dislike for each other up to now, and more than once they have had a real row in parliamentary debates - here, the young opposition leader from Brandnertal, who has repeatedly attacked Wallner personally, there, the experienced top politician, who has repeatedly schooled the rebellious "three-cheese-high". Just remember Wallner's legendary "advice" to Bitschi that he should "switch on his brain" for a change.

Anyone who now objects that personal animosities only play a minor role, the main thing is to be able to agree on the matter, should be reminded of the past two legislative periods: the black-green coalition under Wallner and Johannes Rauch was mainly successful because the two got on well together. This basis of trust was lost when Rauch followed the call of his party colleague Werner Kogler and became Minister of Health and Social Affairs.

And so in the end the bizarre point remains: Black-Blue will only work in the end if Wallner and Bitschi are at least a little bit on the same page.