Austrian Chancellor Nehammer Tasked with Forming New Government

Incumbent Chancellor of Austria, Karl Nehammer, has been officially requested by the country’s president to initiate the formation of a new government. This development comes in the wake of the far-right Freedom Party (FPÖ) emerging as the leading party in last month’s election but struggling to find coalition partners.

In Austria’s political landscape, it is customary for the president to invite the leader of the strongest party to attempt to form a government. In this instance, the FPÖ secured 29% of the votes, making it the largest party. However, the conservative People’s Party, under Nehammer’s leadership, has publicly declared its unwillingness to collaborate with the FPÖ’s controversial leader, Herbert Kickl. Furthermore, all three other parties represented in the new parliament have also ruled out any cooperation with the FPÖ.

President Alexander Van der Bellen emphasized the challenges facing Kickl in his statement, saying, “This means clearly and unambiguously — confirmed repeatedly, with a reflection period and with extra talks — that Herbert Kickl won’t find any coalition partner who will make him chancellor.” Van der Bellen informed Nehammer of his decision on Tuesday, urging him to commence negotiations with the center-left Social Democrats, who finished in third place.

When combined with the Social Democrats, Nehammer’s People’s Party would hold the smallest viable majority in parliament, totaling 92 seats out of 183. To ensure the formation of a “stable government,” Van der Bellen has suggested that a third partner might be essential for the coalition. The liberal Neos party, which garnered 9.1% of the votes, appears to be the most likely candidate for this role.

Related Articles:

• Far-right FPÖ leads as Austrians head to polls in pivotal election on Sunday
• Is an anti-Kickl coalition on the cards after the far right won in Austria?

The FPÖ’s victory, marking a historical first for the party, can be attributed to its successful engagement with voter concerns regarding immigration and the rising cost of living. Kickl, who has been at the helm of this Eurosceptic and Moscow-friendly party since 2021, has advocated for controversial policies such as “remigration,” a vague initiative aimed at returning migrants to their countries of origin. His electoral success sparked significant unrest, as thousands of protesters flooded the streets of Vienna, demanding that other political parties refuse to collaborate with Kickl in order to obstruct his path to power.