The right-wing Austrian Freedom Party (FPO) and the conservative Austrian People’s Party (OVP) announced on Thursday that they have officially agreed to commence coalition talks, according to statements released by both parties.
The initial discussions will focus on the budget, aiming to prevent the European Union from launching excessive deficit proceedings due to Austria’s multibillion-dollar budget shortfall. Herbert Kickl, leader of the FPO, emphasized that “joint negotiations must be based on a solid fiscal foundation from the very beginning.” Christian Stocker, OVP’s new interim leader, identified rejecting Russian influence, supporting EU cooperation, and accepting Western liberal democracy and the rule of law as key conditions for his party. On Wednesday, Mr. Stocker announced that he had accepted the FPO leader’s invitation to enter coalition talks. OVP’s negotiation team is led by Mr. Stocker, while FPO's delegation is headed by Mr. Kickl.
Cover photo: Herbert Kickl, leader of the Austrian Freedom Party (Photo: AFP)
