Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen intends to explore further possibilities to establish a government following the failed coalition negotiations between the FPÖ and the ÖVP. For this reason, he will engage in discussions with “politicians”—likely the party leaders—in the coming days to determine the composition of a future government, as he stated in a statement at the Hofburg on Wednesday evening. He did not express any preferences.
Van der Bellen outlined four options now available after the collapse of the second coalition talks:
- New National Council Elections
- A Minority Government Supported by Parliament
- An Expert Government for a Certain Period
- Possibly Another Coalition of Multiple Parties
“The composition of this government is fundamentally of no concern to me,” emphasized the Federal President.
Advocacy for Compromise
In his brief ten-minute statement at the Presidential Chancellery, during which no questions from journalists were allowed, Van der Bellen advocated for the importance of finding compromises. He noted that compromises have fallen into disrepute, and the political landscape is increasingly polarizing, not only in Austria.
The Federal President regretted this development, stating that liberal democracy thrives on compromise: “Compromise in Austria is a treasure, a cultural asset with which we have always fared well.” He emphasized the need for a constructive path into the shared future and the integrity of the state. “A negotiation process is not a competition where there are only winners and losers,” he advised the party representatives.
Earlier, FPÖ leader Herbert Kickl had returned the government formation mandate he received from Van der Bellen. This marked the collapse of the blue-black coalition negotiations. This followed a final personal meeting with ÖVP leader Christian Stocker. Kickl held the ÖVP responsible for the failure, stating that they had compromised on many points. The People’s Party viewed the FPÖ leader as being “drunk with power.”
