Austria’s far-right leader to invite centre right for coalition talks
Share:
Herbert Kickl’s move could pave way for anti-immigration, pro-Kremlin Freedom party to govern country. The leader of Austria’s anti-immigration, pro-Kremlin Freedom party has said he intends to invite the mainstream centre-right party for coalition talks, potentially paving the way for the far right to rule the country for the first time since the second world war.
Herbert Kickl, whose party won the most votes in September’s election, was tasked with building a ruling coalition by the Austrian president on Monday after the collapse of talks between mainstream parties aimed at forming an alliance that would have blocked the Freedom party (FPÖ).
The negotiations between the conservative People’s party (ÖVP) and the centre-left Social Democrats went on for months but failed over differences on how to inject new life into Austria’s ailing economy and how to manage public finances. As a result Karl Nehammer, the chancellor, who had vowed never to become junior partner to the FPÖ with Kickl as head of government, announced his intention to resign.
In a 25-minute statement to the press on Tuesday, Kickl said he had accepted the challenge to “rebuild” Austria, heralding a “new era of politics” which would be built on “hard work, honesty and courage”. He said he was giving his “outstretched hand” to the interim ÖVP leader, Christian Stocker, but made clear that the other party had to understand it would be the junior partner in any coalition. Previous ÖVP-FPÖ coalition governments have had the far-right party as the junior element.
