Coalition Negotiations Continue on Sunday
Details about the location, time, and exact participants in the coalition negotiations are not disclosed. The coalition agreement is expected to be completed by midweek. On Monday, March 3rd, the swearing-in of the new ministers could take place – provided that the NEOS members give their approval the day before.
Coalition Negotiations: NEOS Members Decide on Coalition on Sunday
The exact schedule is not yet set, but it could be announced tomorrow, Monday, it was said on Sunday to the APA. The goal is to present the joint government program by midweek. The earliest possible date for the swearing-in of the new government would be next Monday. This is because NEOS requires prior approval from its members. The pink member assembly will take place next Sunday in the Balloon Hall at the Arsenal in Vienna. Digital participation is also possible for the approximately 3,000 members. How many members will actually be eligible to vote will only become clear during the week, as the prerequisite is the payment of the membership fee for 2025 by Tuesday. According to the party's statutes, the coalition agreement must be approved by a two-thirds majority of the member assembly.
These Ministries Could Be Received by NEOS and SPÖ
Meanwhile, there is still much speculation about the allocation of ministerial posts. It seems relatively certain that the NEOS will receive two ministries. Initially mentioned are the Foreign Ministry and the Ministry of Education, for which party leader Beate Meinl-Reisinger and Vienna's Deputy Mayor Christoph Wiederkehr are being considered. Additionally, there is to be a pink state secretary, with Sepp Schellhorn being the hottest candidate for this position. In the SPÖ, besides Babler, who is set as Vice-Chancellor, Lower Austria's state leader Sven Hergovich is favored for the Ministry of Infrastructure, and ÖGB Vice-President Korinna Schumann for the Social Affairs Ministry. The SPÖ is also likely to take over the Ministry of Finance, with manager Silvia Angelo and former ORF Director-General Alexander Wrabetz considered possible candidates. According to "Standard" information, the SPÖ is also supposed to get the Ministry of Justice.
Stocker Likely to Become Chancellor After Coalition Negotiations
In the ÖVP, there could be some continuity if Gerhard Karner (Interior), Klaudia Tanner (Defense), and Norbert Totschnig (Agriculture) retain their departments. According to the ÖVP, party leader Christian Stocker is set as Chancellor. Wolfgang Hattmannsdorfer is being considered as Minister of Economy, but the Styrian regional councilor Barbara Eibinger-Miedl is also repeatedly mentioned in the media. The current State Secretary Claudia Plakolm is also considered to have good chances for a ministerial position. In the ÖVP, the federal party chairman theoretically has free rein in appointing ministerial posts. Since a statute reform enforced by then-party leader Sebastian Kurz in 2017, the ÖVP leader can not only nominate the candidate lists for the EU elections and the federal list for national elections alone. He also has the nomination rights of the federal party in the event of federal government participation and makes the corresponding decisions in personnel matters. According to the ÖVP, Christian Stocker also has these rights as acting, not yet confirmed federal party chairman at the party congress. However, in practice, under Stocker's predecessor Karl Nehammer, the states and associations already had a significant say in the selection of ministers.
IV Petition for Quick Conclusion of Coalition Negotiations
The Federation of Austrian Industries (IV) is now pushing with a petition to all parliamentary parties for a "capable and reform-oriented federal government that consolidates our state finances on the expenditure side and sustainably strengthens our competitiveness." The petition was signed by around 40 CEOs, including Thomas Arnoldner from the partially state-owned Telekom Austria and voestalpine CEO Herbert Eibensteiner.
Coalition Negotiations: Exchange of Blows Between FPÖ and ÖVP
FPÖ and ÖVP continued their exchange of blows on Sunday over the responsibility for the failure of the black-blue coalition negotiations. The ÖVP rejected the accusation of voter fraud made by the Freedom Party the previous day and turned it back on FPÖ leader Herbert Kickl. His Secretary General Christian Hafenecker reacted indignantly and spoke of "cheap attempts to smear."
(APA/Red)
This article has been automatically translated, read the original article here.