Vacations are canceled

No Christmas truce for the Zuckerl coalition

Here we go again: Nehammer, Babler and Meinl-Reisinger met yesterday at Palais Epstein. Negotiations are set to enter the hot phase this year.

(Bild: Reuters/ Lisa Leutner)

Three-party coalition, or candy shock? Negotiations continued in the parties' steering groups at Palais Epstein on Tuesday. There was neither an agreement nor a breakthrough. But there was a commitment not to take any more vacations during the negotiations this time. Between Christmas and New Year, the major issues are now to be cleared out of the way. 

The negotiators from the ÖVP, SPÖ and NEOS met with their steering groups at midday on Tuesday for joint talks. For the first time, after the first results from the sub-groups had come in - and not for the last time. Because the negotiations - that much is certain - will continue.

Although it has not yet been possible to agree on a joint budget path, it has at least been possible to agree on in-depth discussions. And apparently, lessons have also been learned from initial organizational "mistakes".

Big chunks at the end of the year
Unlike in the fall, when ÖVP leader Karl Nehammer and SPÖ chairman Andreas Babler took an autumn break after initial token rapprochements, this time they will negotiate and work between Christmas and New Year. "After the holidays, we'll get down to business. That's when the goose gets crispy," reveals an insider. All points that were switched to red (for no agreement) in the first rounds of the traffic lights will then be put on the agenda and become a matter for the boss. 

Vienna City Councillor for Finance Peter Hanke

(Bild: Urbantschitsch Mario)

This also applies to the economy, where the ÖVP and NEOS are still a long way from reaching an agreement with the SPÖ. As the "Krone" has learned, this was one of the main topics at yesterday's ÖVP meeting. According to reports, Nehammer and some regional leaders put their trust in Peter Hanke, the SPÖ city councillor for finance in Vienna. He has a good relationship with many ÖVP grandees, but was not appointed chief negotiator for the topic by his own party. "As a result, Hanke remained silent in almost all rounds of negotiations," said a disappointed member of the People's Party. For Babler's confidante Michaela Schmidt, who is negotiating on the economy for the SPÖ instead of Hanke, relief in the negotiations is said to have always been a red rag. 

The SPÖ is also sticking to its demand to retain the Ministry of Finance. Parallel to the negotiations in Palais Epstein, the former red minister and Upper Austrian party leader Alois Stöger announced that the ÖVP would have to admit that its budget policy had failed. However, this did not dampen the good mood among the negotiators at Palais Epstein.

According to the secret plan, a fundamental agreement will be reached this year and the year 2025 will be used for organizational matters and the allocation of ministerial posts.

According to the data provided by the EU Commission on Sunday, Austria will have to save up to 24 billion euros over the next four years. The specific amount depends on which option is chosen: a consolidation path over four or seven years, or an EU deficit procedure, also over four or seven years.

While the ÖVP and NEOS want to avoid a deficit procedure, the SPÖ prefers this option, as the consolidation path would be gentler and the leeway in terms of expenditure would be the greatest.

"Traffic light system" for sugar-coated issues
Federal Chancellor Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) said in a press statement on Tuesday that it had been an "intensive last few weeks". The Chancellor explained that they were working according to a traffic light system: "All areas that have been set to green have already been negotiated and can be included in the government program." Other areas that were still set to red still had to be negotiated.

Party leader Andreas Babler (SPÖ), ÖVP leader Karl Nehammer and NEOS party leader Beate Meinl-Reisinger

(Bild: APA/HELMUT FOHRINGER)

According to Nehammer, the negotiations were often "very passionate": "There were arguments from time to time, but that is good, because everything that is discussed now will enable constructive government work."

SPÖ leader Andreas Babler agreed: "It is noticeable that we also want to manage the major challenges." The budgetary challenges in particular are major, but strengthening the healthcare and education systems is also an important point. 

"There will be no government under the Christmas tree"
NEOS leader Beate Meinl-Reisinger said that it was particularly those areas "that are difficult in budgetary terms" where negotiations were still needed. "But we agree that the lowest common denominator is not what will take us forward in times like these." Therefore: "There will be no government under the Christmas tree."