Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer announced on Saturday evening that he intended to resign as head of government and chairman of the conservative OeVP. This is the result of the failure of negotiations to form a government coalition. Earlier in the day, the Chancellor's party attempted coalition talks with the Social Democrats.
– In the coming days, I will resign as chancellor and leader of the Austrian People's Party and allow a peaceful transition, Karl Nehammer said in a video statement published on the X platform, after talks with the Social Democrats.
Since the liberal NEOS party withdrew on Friday from tripartite coalition talks with OeVP and the social democratic SPOe, OeVP and SPOe attempted to negotiate on Saturday to form a two-party government. However, they ended in failure, Nehammer said.
Karl NehammerFILIP SINGER/PAP
He does not want a coalition with the extreme right
– It is obvious that the destructive forces in SPOe have gained the upper hand, said the OeVP leader. He emphasized that his party would not agree to any program that would be unfavorable for the economy and financial results. At the same time, Nehammer emphasized that he was not ready for coalition talks with the right-wing FPOe led by Herbert Kickel. – I am deeply convinced that radicals do not offer a solution to any problem – he said.
Despite the FPOe's victory in the September parliamentary elections, the president Austria he entrusted the mission of forming a government to Nehammer. He argued that the Christian Democrats and Social Democrats had definitely ruled out joining the government with Kickel as prime minister. These groups accuse FPOe of extremism and close ties to Russiathe desire to limit the role of women in public life and the use of rhetoric that deepens social divisions.
The dpa agency noticed that according to the latest pollsIf new elections were held in Austria, the FPOe could expect an even clearer victory than in September.
Main photo source: FILIP SINGER/PAP