After the resignation of former Chancellor and conservative leader Karl Nehammer, the popular ÖVP party has expressed its support for negotiations with the far-right party FPÖ.
Austria’s federal president, Alexander Van der Bellen, on Monday tasked far-right Herbert Kickl, leader of the FPÖ party, with forming a new government after the failure of negotiations between conservatives, social democrats and liberals.
After meeting with Kickl for an hour this morning, the head of state said he had given him the assignment negotiating with the popular party ÖVP on the formation of a government coalition.
“Mr. Kickl has the confidence to find feasible solutions within the framework of the government negotiations, and is willing to take on this responsibility. That is why I have instructed him to open talks with the ÖVP on the formation of a federal government” , said Van der. .
“I have not taken this step lightly, I will continue to ensure proper compliance and compliance with the principles and norms of our Constitution,” added the president, who had opposed a Kickl-led government in the past.
It is the first time in Austrian history that the Far-right FPÖ, winner of the elections On September 29, he was given the task of forming a government with almost 29% of the votes.
“The ÖVP has reversed its categorical rejection of cooperation with Kickl. That is the new situation,” Van der Bellen said about the change of position announced on Sunday by new conservative leader Christian Stocker.
Yesterday he succeeded the hitherto Chancellor and conservative leader Karl Nehammer, who announced his resignation on Saturday after considering the negotiations for a tripartite government between the ÖVP and the social democratic party SPÖ and the liberal Neos to have failed.
Nehammer was against a coalition with the FPÖ under Kickl, whom he accuses of posing a danger to the country’s security because of his views. xenophobic, pro-Russian and critical of the European Union (EU).
However, Stocker, until now general secretary of the party, announced on Sunday that the ÖVP is now willing to negotiate with the FPÖ about forming a coalition.
Kickl is a former Minister of the Interior (2017-2019) in a government led by former conservative Chancellor Sebastian Kurz.
He not only rejects the measures taken by the then conservative-ecological government against the coronavirus, but also Western support for Ukraine and sanctions against Russia, neutral Austria’s cooperation with NATO, and is critical of the EU.
One of Kickl’s most important allies is the Hungarian Prime Minister ultranationalist Viktor Orbánwith which he formed the ‘Patriots for Europe’ group, the third group in the European Parliament.
Moreover, the FPÖ remains close relations with Alternative for Germany (AfD)which contains elements that are being investigated by the German justice system as right-wing extremists.
The FPÖ is a party founded after the Second World War by former Nazi leaders and to this day it brings together the country’s most extremist and right-wing circles.
Source: EITB
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