On the road to black/red

Expensive political engagement with special witnesses

Commentary on the major issues affecting Austria: Klaus Herrmann, Managing Editor-in-Chief

(Bild: Krone KREATIV)

The (symbolic) ring is already polished, the black-red engagement is imminent, ÖVP and SPÖ are largely on the same page in the marriage contract. So a later marriage is not ruled out?

No, the marriage vows are binding! We Austrians are already used to one party or another suddenly getting cold feet before final political partnerships and turning back on the (symbolic) church steps on the way to the wedding ceremony.

But after all these experiences in the almost 150 days since the National Council elections, the current lovebirds of black and red should be aware that they can neither afford us nor themselves another such scandal.

So we remain confident. The registrar of this nascent political marriage also seems to be - he sits in the Hofburg and acts as Federal President. Alexander Van der Bellen will find beautiful words to guide the couple into the future.

The witnesses to the marriage have already been chosen, but we still have to talk to them: NEOS and the Greens will have a special role to play during the term of office of the ÖVP-SPÖ government, which is so weakly secured with only one MP in excess. They will not only have to support the bride and groom during their marriage, but will also have to actively accompany them in the coming months (it is unlikely to be many years).

That will take strength. And it will cost the coalition many concessions.

The whole undertaking will also cost a lot of money, including us citizens, us taxpayers. But in this respect, black-red hardly differs from blue-black: we will certainly be hit in the pocket. Wedding presents will not be enough ...