Offices redistributed

Zuckerl coalition forges plan for more ministers

Nehammer, Meinl-Reisinger and Babler want to meet again this year.

(Bild: Krone KREATIV/Reuters/Lisa Leutner, APA/Helmut Fohringer)

New year, new government, new ministries? The "Krone" has learned that the "Zuckerl" coalition is once again planning to redistribute the responsibilities of the ministries. At the end of the upcoming upheavals, there could apparently be more than the current 14 ministries. 

Negotiators from the ÖVP, SPÖ and NEOS met behind closed doors on Friday for in-depth negotiations. The greatest need for discussion was and remains the budget. It is already clear that the red-white-red budget is to be restructured over seven years. However, there is still disagreement as to whether Austria should be dictated to by "austerity dictates from Brussels". The SPÖ is the only one of the three parties to advocate an EU deficit procedure (EDP), as it would initially offer even more leeway in terms of spending - in line with the SPÖ's wishes.

Industrialists criticize
Georg Knill, President of the Federation of Austrian Industries (IV), is vehemently against entering into an EU deficit procedure. "In this political situation, it is fatal that people are thinking about an EU deficit procedure because it would obviously mean less savings," criticizes Knill in light of the many billion euro budget gap. "The country's sovereignty is being surrendered in the process - in the manner of 'dear EU, tell me what I have to do': this is self-abandonment," says the IV President towards the Social Democrats. However, Knill is calling on all three parties to step up the pace of negotiations.

The first three-party coalition of the Second Republic should be in place before the state elections in Burgenland on January 19. Behind the scenes, it is no longer just a question of content, but also of organization. As the "Krone" has learned, the number of ministries could be increased from the current 14 to at least 16. The plans are not yet fully developed. However, a possible increase has already been discussed in top negotiating circles, according to "Krone" information. The negotiators hope that the possible increase will have several positive effects. On the one hand, critics in the parties could be kept happy and brought on board with more posts. 

Own ministry for migration possible
On the other hand, the missing flagship projects could also be given enough political leeway in their own ministries. According to insiders, a separate Ministry for Housing or a Ministry for the Future are conceivable. As Krone readers already know, the area of migration could be separated from the Ministry of the Interior and a separate Ministry of Migration could be created. The agendas for employment and the economy, which Martin Kocher currently combines in one ministry, could also be separated again. 

Climate protection moves to agriculture
The ministry of Leonore Gewessler, who is still Minister for Climate Protection, is likely to be split up. ÖVP Chancellor Karl Nehammer himself described the green super-ministry as "too large and cumbersome to be able to react quickly to requirements". Transport and infrastructure is likely to become an independent ministry again, while the area of climate protection will (re)move to the Ministry of Agriculture.