"Zuckerl" almost fixed

Kickl: “Styria will give the first answer!”

While the ÖVP, SPÖ and NEOS begin coalition negotiations to form a joint government, FPÖ leader Herbert Kickl is back in election campaign mode.

(Bild: Krone KREATIV/APA)

Now it's a done deal: ÖVP, SPÖ and NEOS officially start coalition negotiations on Thursday. Naturally, this has led to fierce criticism from the FPÖ, the party with the most seats in the National Council. "Greed for power comes before a sense of responsibility. Styria will give the first answer to this on Sunday," said blue frontman Herbert Kickl on Facebook, already back in election campaign mode.

"If the same people who got us into this whole mess and drove the country hand in hand against the wall pretend to be the great saviors from the misery ... I fear the downhill slide will continue," continued Kickl.

His party emerged as the strongest party in the National Council elections on September 29, but no other party wants to govern with the Freedom Party. The regional elections in Styria will take place next Sunday. All polls show the FPÖ clearly in first place. 

The NEOS will suffer the same fate as the FDP in Germany. They will disappear into insignificance.

FPÖ-Generalsekretär Michael Schnedlitz

Bild: APA/GEORG HOCHMUTH

"Karl Nehammer job security package"
 In view of the fact that the ÖVP, SPÖ and NEOS announced on Monday that they were now officially entering into coalition negotiations at federal level, FPÖ General Secretary Michael Schnedlitz spoke of a "black day for democracy in Austria". The "'Austro-Ampel' of the losers" was exactly what the people had not voted for, but instead a "Karl Nehammer job security package", said Schnedlitz.

The leaders of the designated "Zuckerl coalition" met on Monday for what was supposed to be the last round of exploratory talks on the road to government.

(Bild: APA/HELMUT FOHRINGER)

Nehammer does not have the format that a federal chancellor needs, "because anyone who wants to blame Herbert Kickl for the development of gas prices in his distress shows that he is not capable of leading a country like Austria", said Schnedlitz.

"The big loser is our beautiful country"
According to him, Austrians voted for a change of course in Austria on September 29. "They want the FPÖ to take responsibility in our country with Herbert Kickl. The systemic parties want to prevent this at all costs and do everything they can to hold on to power. They don't care about the will of the voters. The big loser is our beautiful country and its people," said Schnedlitz.

Nehammer defends negotiations: "Kickl didn't make it"
Meanwhile, Nehammer defended his ÖVP's coalition negotiations with the SPÖ and NEOS. "The coalition we are aiming for actually represents the majority of voters. Herbert Kickl has not managed to find a partner, which is why he is now in opposition," said the Chancellor on Monday evening on "ZiB 2".

Nehammer also wants to pick up FPÖ voters
There will be no "business as usual". Nehammer also wants to pick up all FPÖ voters, "because they are as important to me as my ÖVP voters". There will be no side agreements or side letters with him. "The law regulates when and where personnel decisions are to be made, there is no reason not to do this transparently," emphasized Nehammer.