Austria Conservatives Back Chancellor Before Coalition Talks
(Bloomberg) -- Austria’s conservative Chancellor Karl Nehammer won a party-confidence vote, reinforcing his mandate to form a new coalition government.
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The People’s Party board unanimously voted to support Nehammer at a meeting on Tuesday, which will also discuss election results and the next steps needed to commence coalition negotiations, the APA news service reported, citing a party spokesperson.
Despite falling to second in national elections on Sept. 29, trailing the far-right Freedom Party, Nehammer is in a strong position to lead the next government, if a political program can be agreed on with the Social Democrats and potentially a third partner.
All competitors have ruled out entering a coalition with Freedom Party chairman Herbert Kickl due to his policy program that includes deporting asylum seekers and ending support for Ukraine in its defense against Russian aggression.
A combination of Austria’s two main traditional parties used to be the country’s default arrangement, making up more than half of its governments since World War II. Coalition negotiations have traditionally taken months, not weeks, so the talks could stretch into next year.
The Freedom Party’s leadership is set to discuss the election result and weigh its options on Wednesday. The smaller liberal NEOS and Greens will both hold press briefings later Tuesday.
(Updates with result in the first paragraph, details throughout)
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