At the request of VdB

Party leaders now start their talks with Kickl

For the time being, Herbert Kickl has no partner for a future government - it is questionable whether this will change after the talks in the coming days.

(Bild: APA/Hans Klaus Techt)

Nobody wants to work with Herbert Kickl (FPÖ) - but at the request of Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen, talks are now starting on Tuesday about possible cooperation with the FPÖ, which has the most votes. The first step will be taken by the incumbent Chancellor Karl Nehammer (ÖVP).

It was only on Monday that the ÖVP reaffirmed its clear rejection of a coalition with the election winner. However, two and a half weeks after the election, the commissioned talks between the party leaders of the FPÖ, ÖVP and SPÖ will now begin. 

In the afternoon, Nehammer will sound out the possibilities of cooperation with Kickl, with further talks to follow on Wednesday and Thursday. Kickl is claiming to be Chancellor, but is currently alone in the field, as no party has shown any willingness to fulfill his wish.

The party leaders have kept to themselves where they will meet. The meeting between Nehammer and SPÖ leader Andreas Babler will take place on Wednesday, and the meeting between Kickl and Babler on Thursday.

President referred to "classic stalemate"
Van der Bellen has not yet given any party a mandate to form a government. The Federal President explained his decision not to give the FPÖ a chance for the time being with a "classic stalemate situation", as it was an election winner with which none of the other parties apparently wanted to govern.

The three party leaders should now "reliably clarify what kind of cooperation would be conceivable" by the end of the week.