Stalemate after National Council Elections: Van der Bellen Calls for Revived Talks
Following the national elections in Austria, the country finds itself in a political impasse. President Alexander Van der Bellen declared in a speech that he would not give any party the task of forming a government at present due to the stalemate that has arisen. The FPÖ, which emerged from the election as the strongest force with 28.8%, is currently unable to find a coalition partner, as both the ÖVP and the other parties (SPÖ, NEOS, and Greens) refuse to cooperate with FPÖ leader Herbert Kickl.
Austrian Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen Met FPÖ leader Herbert Kickl after the election. / Picture: © Österreichische Präsidentschaftskanzlei / Peter Lechner/HBF
Van der Bellen emphasized that the current situation was exceptional. Although it had previously been customary in Austria to give the party with the most votes the mandate to form a government, given the refusal of other parties to form a coalition with the FPÖ, a different path had to be taken. “It is completely new that there is an election winner with whom none of the other parties want to govern,” said the Federal President. His talks with the party leaders of the ÖVP (Karl Nehammer), SPÖ (Andreas Babler), and FPÖ (Herbert Kickl) also confirmed this impression.
FPÖ leader Herbert Kickl insists that he would only be part of a government as Chancellor, while the ÖVP explicitly rules out a coalition under Kickl. The SPÖ, NEOS, and the Greens have also clearly spoken out against cooperation with the FPÖ. Van der Bellen described this as a “classic stalemate” that must be overcome.
Call for talks
To find a solution, Van der Bellen has called on the party leaders of the three strongest parties- Herbert Kickl, Karl Nehammer, and Andreas Babler- to hold direct talks at the party leader level to clarify whether there are any possibilities for cooperation. These talks should deliver results by the end of next week, which will then be presented to the Federal President. The aim is to overcome the political blockade and enable a stable government. “We need clarity for Austria,” emphasized Van der Bellen, pointing out that empty exploratory talks that were doomed to fail from the outset would not help the country move forward.
Van der Bellen made it clear that the challenges facing Austria require swift and decisive action. Issues such as inflation, the climate crisis, healthcare, and migration are urgent and require clear political answers. He emphasized that it was not just about forming a government, but also about the people's trust in the ability of politicians to act. The new talks between the party leaders were an attempt to find innovative solutions and coalitions that could help Austria in this difficult situation.
Further developments
According to Van der Bellen, the public will be kept informed as soon as there are any new developments. The Federal President emphasized that he will remain in close contact with all parties involved in order to moderate the process and ensure that possible coalitions are discussed in a constructive and solution-oriented manner. At the same time, he expressed his understanding that a solution would take time but emphasized that this time would be well invested in tackling the country's pressing problems.
In conclusion, Van der Bellen reiterated that respect for the electorate demanded that responsible and clear decisions be made. “It is necessary to break new ground and rethink old patterns to lead Austria back to stability and clarity in this difficult phase,” explained the Federal President.