Neos Shake Up Austrian Coalition Talks

The liberal Neos, the smallest of Austria's centrist coalition parties, have withdrawn from negotiations. Leader Beate Meinl-Reisinger cited a lack of ambition and progress with the conservative OVP and centre-left SPO, putting the talks into disarray.

The Austrian coalition talks have hit a major roadblock as the liberal Neos announced their withdrawal from negotiations on Friday. Their decision throws the talks, already excluding the far-right Freedom Party, into turmoil.

Neos leader Beate Meinl-Reisinger expressed dissatisfaction with the discussions held alongside Chancellor Karl Nehammer's conservative People's Party (OVP) and the centre-left Social Democrats (SPO), criticizing the lack of ambition and progress in the talks.

This development signals a significant challenge to forming a cohesive centrist coalition in Austria, as the other parties scramble to reassess their strategies in the wake of Neos's exit.

(With inputs from agencies.)