the conservatives turn around and say they are ready to negotiate with the far right to form a government

Austrian conservatives declared on Sunday January 5 that they were ready to begin negotiations with the far right in order to form a new government, a political about-face after the failure of coalition discussions with the liberals and social democrats. The Alpine EU member country plunged into political uncertainty on Saturday when conservative Chancellor Karl Nehammer ended talks aimed at forming a centrist government without the far right, which had come out on top in the elections legislative elections at the end of September.

In the process, Mr. Nehammer announced that he will resign “in the coming days” from his post as chancellor and the presidency of the Austrian People’s Party (OVP, conservatives), promising “an orderly transition”. He has held both positions since the end of 2021.

During a meeting of OVP leaders on Sunday, the movement’s general secretary, Christian Stocker, was named interim party leader. Mr Stocker said he had been authorized by his party to begin coalition negotiations with the far right. “This country needs a stable government today, and we cannot continue to waste time that we do not have on campaigns or elections”he added.

“A new path has opened”

Shortly before, Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen announced that he would meet on Monday with the leader of the Austrian Freedom Party (FPO, far right), Herbert Kickl, to “discuss the new situation”. “The voices within the OVP which ruled out working with (…) Kickl became much more discreet”the president told the press. “This means that a new path has opened up that did not exist before”.

During a press conference, Mr. Stocker welcomed the president’s decision to discuss with the far-right leader, whose party had gathered almost 29% of the votes in the legislative elections but who until then had not not found partners to form a government. It is not clear at the moment whether Mr Van der Bellen will ask the far right to try to form a government.

The president had initially asked conservatives to form a stable government that respected the “foundations of our liberal democracy”. In the past, he has several times expressed reservations towards Mr. Kickl, whose party is given 35% in the latest polls.