What happens now?

136 days in vain: Austria’s politics in ruins

Shattered dreams: After the failure of the Zuckerl coalition, the FPÖ and ÖVP also failed to reach a deal.

(Bild: Krone KREATIV/stock.adobe)

Rien ne va plus! What had been looming for days became reality on Wednesday afternoon: the coalition negotiations between the FPÖ and ÖVP have finally failed. Alexander Van der Bellen now has to get back to the starting line; the Federal President wants to hold new talks with all party leaders on what a future government should look like. The fact is: Austria's domestic politics are in ruins 136 days after the National Council elections. 

The formation of a government after the National Council elections on September 29 was complicated from the outset. Initially, Karl Nehammer as ÖVP leader was given the task of forming a government.

After talks between the ÖVP, SPÖ and NEOS broke down and Nehammer resigned, it was the turn of election winner Herbert Kickl (FPÖ). The FPÖ and ÖVP held coalition negotiations for five weeks. At first, it looked like a quick agreement, as a joint savings package of around 6.4 billion euros was presented in mid-January.

The negotiations between the blue and black parties have failed.

(Bild: Krone KREATIV/APA/Helmut Fohringer)

Blue and black: after the austerity package agreement, it was all downhill
However, the blue-black negotiating engine then stuttered more and more. Statements by ÖVP leader Christian Stocker, for example, who demanded a course correction from the Freedom Party in a media background discussion, caused disgruntlement among the FPÖ. The FPÖ's demand for a bank levy caused further controversy. As is well known, negotiations were interrupted the previous week, after which there was complete radio silence between the negotiating leaders for around two days.

Shattered dreams: After the failure of the Zuckerl coalition, the FPÖ and ÖVP also failed to reach an agreement.

(Bild: Krone KREATIV/stock.adobe)

There were also wild arguments about the division of portfolios. Kickl always insisted on both ministries: Finance and Home Affairs. The ÖVP, on the other hand, submitted a paper to the Blue Party in which common basic lines of governance were to be defined.

ÖVP attacked FPÖ: "power trip"
 Statements by Harald Mahrer, President of the Chamber of Commerce, are likely to have finally broken the camel's back on Tuesday. The black negotiator sharply attacked the FPÖ: "Austria is a democracy and basic democratic principles are important. Anyone who is not willing to reach a consensus and is only in the throes of power is probably not fit to govern." Markus Wallner, Governor of the Vorarlberg ÖVP, addressed similarly clear words to the FPÖ leader.

Harald Mahrer, President of the Chamber of Commerce, sharply attacked FPÖ leader Herbert Kickl on Tuesday

(Bild: Krone KREATIV/APA/TOBIAS STEINMAURER, APA/HELMUT FOHRINGER (Montage), KRONE KREATIV)

As a final rescue attempt, both the FPÖ and the ÖVP once again made new proposals for the division of portfolios on Wednesday, which were promptly rejected by the other side. 

Kickl resigned his mandate to form a government
A final personal meeting between Stocker and Kickl had only taken place on Wednesday at Van der Bellen's request. However, this also lasted less than an hour and did not result in a breakthrough. Kickl finally resigned from the task of forming a government after a mathematically possible coalition with the SPÖ would have been hopeless anyway due to differences in content.

Four and a half months have now passed since the National Council elections - but there is still no new government. 

Failure of government negotiations extremely rare
The failure of concrete government negotiations has been extremely rare to date. Most of the coalition negotiations that have begun after the 24 National Council elections in the Second Republic have been brought to a successful conclusion. Before the current series of failed negotiations, coalition negotiations had only ended unsuccessfully three times - most recently in 2002 between the ÖVP and the Greens.

New elections, minority government, expert government or coalition after all?
What happens now? Van der Bellen wants to sound out the possible options. In the coming days, he will hold talks with "politicians" - presumably the party leaders - on what a future government should look like, said Van der Bellen on Wednesday evening. He did not show any preference for one of the four options - he mentioned new elections, a minority government with parliamentary acquiescence, a government of experts or a coalition of several parties. "The composition of this government has no fundamental role to play for me," emphasized the Federal President, who made a plea for the search for compromises in his speech.

Kickl wants new elections quickly
Van der Bellen has already received a proposal from Kickl. As he announced at a press conference on Wednesday evening, he had recommended to the head of state that new elections be called quickly. He is convinced that clear conditions are needed as soon as possible instead of a stalemate. "Today is not every day, I'll be back, no question", the blue man quoted the pink panther.

Stocker rules out resignation
The ÖVP federal party executive met online early Wednesday evening. Stocker ruled out resigning as federal party leader following the failure of the coalition negotiations, as he had not been tasked with forming the government and was not responsible for its failure. 

SPÖ, NEOS and Greens open to talks
Meanwhile, the Social Democrats, NEOS and Greens have shown themselves to be open to coalition talks and have not ruled out supporting a government of experts. According to SPÖ leader Andreas Babler, the country needs stability and the budgetary situation poses challenges for Austria. "The ability to act must therefore come before stagnation, the interests of the state before the interests of the party."

Kogler would like to see a new ÖVP-SPÖ rapprochement
For NEOS leader Beate Meinl-Reisinger, "a government capable of acting" must now be formed "quickly," with everyone having to "jump over their own shadow". Green Party leader Werner Kogler was also open to all options. He appealed to the ÖVP and SPÖ to come closer together again, as a possible expert government would also need a majority of these two parties. Kogler would also support further three-way negotiations with the NEOS.