The Austrian president announced he will meet with the FPÖ leader a day after Chancellor Karl Nehammer said he would resign after talks on forming a new government failed for a second time.
ADVERTISEMENTAustrian President Alexander Van der Bellen said in a press conference held on Sunday afternoon that he agreed to meet the Freedom Party’s (FPÖ) leader, Herbert Kickl, on Monday after multiple failed attempts to form a government coalition without the Freedom Party took place.
“Voices within the (conservative) People’s Party that rule out cooperation with an FPÖ under Herbert Kickl have become much quieter. This in turn means that a new path may be opening up that did not exist before,” the president said.
Coalition talks have dragged on for months. The Liberal Neos, alongside Nehammer’s conservative Austrian People’s Party (ÖVP) and the centre-left Social Democrats (SPÖ) have been trying to forge a three-party ruling coalition after the far-right Freedom Party won national elections in September with 29.2% of the vote.
However, the parties have struggled to come to an agreement. On Saturday, Austria’s Chancellor Karl Nehammer announced said he would resign in the coming days after talks on forming a new government failed a second time.
Nehammer’s announcement came after the People’s Party and the Social Democrats continued coalition talks a day after the liberal Neos party’s surprise withdrawal from discussions.
Van der Bellen said Chancellor Karl Nehammer is to remain in his position as chancellor until he appoints a new interim, which he said he would do over the next week.
Earlier today, Austria’s ruling conservative party, Austrian People’s Party, nominated its General Secretary Christian Stocker to succeed Nehammer.
Stocker said he is prepared to accept the invitation by the Freedom Party to form a new government.
“I welcome the fact that the President is inviting Herbert Kickl, the leader of the strongest party, and is expected to entrust him with the formation of a government. We are ready for talks with the FPÖ,” Stocker said.
Stocker, a lawyer and member of the Austrian Parliament, has served as general secretary of the People’s Party since 2022. He is seen as an experienced and calm crisis communicator who has frequently appeared in Austrian media to defend controversial decisions.
