Political quake triggered
Nehammer breaks off government negotiations
Chancellor Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) had already broken off government negotiations with the SPÖ on Saturday evening - and as was announced shortly afterwards, he is now also stepping down as Federal Chancellor and as ÖVP leader! A comeback by Sebastian Kurz seemed temporarily within the realms of possibility, although he is not the only possible successor.
"We have tried everything up to now. It is not possible to reach an agreement on key points. This makes no sense for a positive future for Austria," Nehammer had previously stated at the end of the coalition negotiations.
The People's Party wants to provide information on the next steps today - Nehammer's resignation as Chancellor is a done deal, however, and Nehammer also wants to step down as ÖVP leader "in the next few days", as he himself has now confirmed.
I will not bend.
Karl Nehammer will nicht mit „Radikalen“ zusammenarbeiten.
Karl Nehammer posted a resignation video on X: Among other things, he explains in it that one should not work with "radicals". He will not bend - that is why he is now withdrawing.
Van der Bellen: "Get a picture of the situation"
Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen spoke to the former Chancellor on the phone immediately after Karl Nehammer's resignation. The ball is now in Van der Bellen's court as head of state, but it remains to be seen what will happen next. "We now have to get an idea of the situation. In any case, there will be no more appointments in the Hofburg today", according to the presidential chancellery. Van der Bellen wants to make a statement on Sunday.
Visitors are also expected to visit the presidential chancellery then. After a meeting of the ÖVP committees in the Hofburg, Nehammer is to resign his government mandate. The leadership of the People's Party will meet at 10 a.m. in the Federal Chancellery.
Following the termination of the coalition negotiations, there are now two scenarios: in addition to a new election (probably not before May 2025), a coalition between the FPÖ and ÖVP could possibly be formed after all - probably depending on who will lead the ÖVP after Nehammer's resignation.
Possible successors
Karoline Edtstadler or Wolfgang Hattmannsdorfer are being discussed as possible alternatives to Nehammer - as well as Sebastian Kurz, but he has since canceled, at least for the time being.
According to the "Krone" newspaper, the most prominent opponent is Edtstadler from Salzburg, who has powerful advocates in the party - and is also considered a confidante of Kurz. Hattmannsdorfer, General of the Chamber of Commerce, is seen as an outsider.
"Destructive forces in the SPÖ"
As reported, the NEOS dropped out as the third coalition partner on Friday. Negotiations then continued on Saturday with the SPÖ alone - without success. In his video, Nehammer explained, among other things, that the "destructive forces" within the SPÖ had gained the upper hand - and that there would be no "destruction of prosperity" with the ÖVP.
"Karl Nehammer has understood"
"Thanks to Karl Nehammer, he has understood", said SPÖ leader Andreas Babler. Apparently he saw that at least the Chancellor and the NEOS were still willing to compromise - but in the end, the wing of the ÖVP party that wanted to continue as before and flirted with the blue party had prevailed.
State responsibility and not "party tactics" were needed, Babler said, echoing the sentiments of NEOS leader Beate Meinl-Reisinger the day before. She had also denounced a lack of willingness to reform and power politics on the part of certain negotiating partners.
Karl Nehammer has fought like a lion for this country. We would like to thank him for this.
Johanna Mikl-Leitner
Bild: APA/MAX SLOVENCIK
Words of praise for the outgoing ÖVP leader came from the powerful regional parties on Saturday evening - above all from the governor of Lower Austria, Johanna Mikl-Leitner: "Karl Nehammer fought like a lion for this country. Our thanks go to him for that," she explained. Nehammer had led the People's Party into a National Council election after a difficult phase and had worked with all his might to negotiate a stable, forward-looking government.
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