Austria’s liberal NEOS party on Sunday approved a deal that paves the way for a three-way coalition government led by the center-right under Christian Stocker who is set to become chancellor next week.
Members of NEOS, the smallest partner in the alliance, agreed to work with Stocker’s conservative Austrian People’s Party (ÖVP) and the center-left Social Democratic Party (SPÖ), who have already approved the deal.
Austria has faced months of political uncertainty, following parliamentary elections in September, which saw the far-right Freedom Party (FPÖ) come first, but later fail to form a government after tense negotiations.
What did NEOS members agree?
Roughly 2,000 NEOS party members voted for the plan during a hybrid meeting in Vienna with more than 94% in favor of the 200-page coalition agreement.
Under party rules, two-thirds of members had to approve the plan.
If NEOS had failed to back the proposal, the ÖVP and SPÖ would have just a one-seat majority in the lower house of parliament, known as the National Council.
NEOS has never been in national government before.
Ahead of the vote, NEOS leader Beate Meinl-Reisinger called on members to “make history” and support what she sees as a move supporting liberal democracy.
“Thank you! Work begins tomorrow!” she told members after the vote, referring to the swearing-in of the new coalition, which can now take place on Monday.
NEOS is due to head the Foreign and Education Ministries in the new government.
The party’s priorities include cutting state spending and red tape, along with pension reform.
The new government plans tighter migration rules, austerity measures to tackle the budget deficit and a cap on rent increases.
FPÖ leader Herbert Kickl last week called the tie-up a coalition of “losers” and called for a snap election.
Coalition talks took months and three attempts
Austria has endured the longest wait since World War Two to form a new government — more than five months.
Despite the FPÖ winning an unprecedented victory, with around 29% support, Austria’s president first gave the conservative ÖVP the mandate to form a government amid unwillingness from other parties to grant the far-right party the chancellorship.
After the ÖVP’s first attempt failed in January, FPÖ leader Herbert Kickl was given the mandate to form a coalition.
However, talks with the conservatives broke down several weeks later.
Pressure from Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen led the ÖVP, SPÖ and Neos to try again and the trio reached a coalition deal on Thursday.
Neighbor Germany faces a similar battle to agree on a new coalition following parliamentary elections last Sunday.
After coming out top, center-right leader Friedrich Merz is due to begin talks with Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s Social Democrats next week over the formation of a coalition.
Coalition talks often take weeks or months to finalize, which can lead to political paralysis.
Merz has said he wants to have a ruling coalition in place within two months, due to the economic issues currently facing Germany as well as the uncertainty caused by US President Donald Trump’s reelection.
German political parties have refused to work with the far-right. The Alternative for Germany (AfD) party came second in last Sunday’s vote with a record share of over 20%.
Edited by: Alex Berry
