"Krone" commentary

The president must pull the cart out of the mud

Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen is once again challenged by the current government crisis.

(Bild: AFP)

The blue-black cart - it seems to have completely lost its way. The coalition negotiators have become entrenched in their positions, you could even say they are stuck in the mud. They are accusing each other - probably not without justification from their respective points of view - of no longer moving.

The mud-slinging began to escalate during the round of negotiations with Herbert Kickl and Christian Stocker on Tuesday. This was the first time the division of ministries was discussed. Kickl presented a list which the black side did not regard as a division but as an allocation of ministries.

The two sides parted on unfriendly terms.

The ÖVP said afterwards that the situation was "difficult". FPÖ leader Kickl let it be known that media reports of a breakdown in negotiations were "the next hoax".

In fact, there was no official breakdown in negotiations. But the truth is that negotiations are no longer taking place. There is a lack of trust.

Only postings and emails are sent to each other. In a statement on Wednesday, Kickl left no doubt that the FPÖ insists on the Ministry of the Interior, the EU agendas in the Chancellery and the Ministry of Finance.

Klaus Herrmann, Managing Editor-in-Chief of the "Krone" analyzes the situation between the FPÖ and the ÖVP.

(Bild: Krone KREATIV)

The ÖVP was "surprised" by this public unambiguousness. And conveyed a non-public message to the Blue Party about the conditions under which they can still talk.

They are waiting for an answer from the blue home behind parliament. Above all, however, they are waiting for a statement from the nearby Hofburg. After ÖVP leader Stocker marched up to the Federal President yesterday, it is Herbert Kickl's turn today. The not-yet-chancellor will have to make a move.

The situation between the blue and black parties is more than muddled.

(Bild: Krone KREATIV/APA/HELMUT FOHRINGER)

Pulling the cart out of the mud: This will now primarily be the task of the Federal President, who failed to task the election winner Herbert Kickl with forming a government in the fall.

Either he can persuade Kickl and the ÖVP to make a decisive move towards each other.

Or he comes to the conclusion that nothing more can come of it. Then he will have to pull the strings all the more.

Alexander Van der Bellen - he is now in the draw in the truest sense of the word!