Austria Prepares for Historic Three-Way Coalition Talks

Austria's political landscape shifts as Chancellor Karl Nehammer leads the People's Party into coalition talks with the Social Democrats and liberal Neos. This historic three-way coalition aims to form a government after the far-right Freedom Party's election win but coalition failure. Discussions promise to be challenging and strategic.

Austria is entering a pivotal phase in its political landscape as conservative Chancellor Karl Nehammer announced the beginning of full-scale coalition talks. The talks are set to include the Social Democrats (SPO) and the liberal Neos, marking the first three-way coalition since the country's independence in 1955.

The move follows September's parliamentary election, where the far-right Freedom Party (FPO) emerged first, garnering around 29% of the vote. Despite its victory, the FPO struggled to secure a coalition partner to form a majority. This prompted President Alexander Van der Bellen to assign the task of forming a government to Nehammer, leader of the People's Party.

The impending discussions signal a strategic shift in Austrian politics, with the talks set to expand beyond initial officials to specialized subject teams. Although Nehammer anticipates a challenging negotiation process, he has assured that the discussions will be conducted as swiftly as possible without compromising thoroughness.

(With inputs from agencies.)