Latest news with #AndreasBabler
Yahoo
27-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Austria's centrist parties reach deal to govern without far right
STORY: :: Austria's centrist parties agree to form a coalition without the far-right election winner Freedom Party :: February 27, 2025 :: Andreas Babler, SPO leader :: "I am very happy and proud to be able to stand here with you both today to present our joint government programme. And not just because this cohesion and cooperation keeps Herbert Kickl and the right-wing extremist FPO out of the most important institutions of our country. Not only because this government will safeguard the rule of law and democracy in Austria. Not only because this long phase of forming a government has finally come to an end. No, but because we are now doing the right thing together." :: Vienna, Austria In a deal that should bring to a close Austria's longest wait for a new government since World War Two, the center-right, liberal and center-left parties unveiled a program including tax rises on banks and energy companies, spending cuts and immigration curbs. The three parties had already tried and failed to form a coalition, after which the eurosceptic, Russia-friendly Freedom Party (FPO) was given a chance to form a government but also failed. The coalition plans to increase a tax on banks and extend taxes on windfall profits of power fossil-fuel companies, as well as scrapping environmental measures such as a value-added tax exemption for solar panels. Spending would be trimmed through pensions reform, and immigration curbed by halting family reunification visas for immediate relatives of refugees. The three-party government, Austria's first since the late 1940s, is due to take office on Monday, provided all parties approve the deal.
Yahoo
27-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Far-Right blocked from government in Austria despite winning election
The far-Right Freedom Party of Austria (FPO) has been blocked from government despite winning the country's election. After five months of deadlock, the conservative Peoples' Party, centre-Left Social Democrats and liberal Neos reached a three-party coalition agreement on Thursday for the first time in Austrian history. Christian Stocker, the conservatives' leader, will become chancellor, and Andreas Babler, leader of the Social Democrats, vice chancellor. With the so-called 'firewall against the far-Right' just about holding – as it has done in neighbouring Germany – Herbert Kickl, the FPO leader, branded the arrangement a 'coalition of losers' and called for a snap election. The FPO came out on top in September's election with 28.9 per cent of the vote, although it did not win enough seats in parliament to form a government. As all other main parties refused to work with the FPO, Alexander Van der Bellen, Austria's president, initially asked Karl Nehammer, the then-conservatives' leader and incumbent chancellor, to attempt to create a government. After this effort collapsed in January, the president gave the task of forming a coalition to the FPO, as the 'firewall' – a pledge by mainstream parties not to work with or form governments with parties deemed too Right-wing – is not as entrenched in Austria as it is in Germany. In Germany, conservative Friedrich Merz's attempt to toughen migration laws with the help of the far-Right Alternative for Germany party fell apart last month. Some members of Merz's party, the Christian Democratic Union, refused to support the measure. The FPO, who have governed Austria twice before, ultimately failed to create a government with their country's own conservatives due to disagreements over Russia, with the FPO said to favour warmer relations with Vladimir Putin. After the collapse of the FPO's attempts in January, the mainstream parties attempted once to put together a coalition. The newly-reached deal has been referred to as the 'sugar coalition' because their parties' colours resemble that of jelly-beans. The alliance is likely to be unwieldy and driven by desperation to avoid new elections that the FPO would likely win more emphatically than it did in September, as polls suggest support for the party has surged to 34 per cent. On Thursday Mr Kickl said: 'Today is not the end, I'll be back, no question.' Austria is often seen as the bellwether for collaboration between conservatives and the hard-Right in German-speaking countries, as FPO's first inclusion in a government was in partnership with the conservatives in 2000. It once again entered government under the conservatives in 2017. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Telegraph
27-02-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Far-Right blocked from government in Austria despite winning election
The far-Right Freedom Party of Austria (FPO) has been blocked from government despite winning the country's election. After five months of deadlock, the conservative Peoples' Party, centre-Left Social Democrats and liberal Neos reached a three-party coalition agreement on Thursday for the first time in Austrian history. Christian Stocker, the conservatives' leader, will become chancellor, and Andreas Babler, leader of the Social Democrats, vice chancellor. With the so-called 'firewall against the far-Right' just about holding – as it has done in neighbouring Germany – Herbert Kickl, the FPO leader, branded the arrangement a 'coalition of losers' and called for a snap election. The FPO came out on top in September's election with 28.9 per cent of the vote, although it did not win enough seats in parliament to form a government. As all other main parties refused to work with the FPO, Alexander Van der Bellen, Austria's president, initially asked Karl Nehammer, the then-conservatives' leader and incumbent chancellor, to attempt to create a government. After this effort collapsed in January, the president gave the task of forming a coalition to the FPO, as the 'firewall' – a pledge by mainstream parties not to work with or form governments with parties deemed too Right-wing – is not as entrenched in Austria as it is in Germany. In Germany, conservative Friedrich Merz's attempt to toughen migration laws with the help of the far-Right Alternative for Germany party fell apart last month. Some members of Merz's party, the Christian Democratic Union, refused to support the measure. The FPO, who have governed Austria twice before, ultimately failed to create a government with their country's own conservatives due to disagreements over Russia, with the FPO said to favour warmer relations with Vladimir Putin. After the collapse of the FPO's attempts in January, the mainstream parties attempted once to put together a coalition. The newly-reached deal has been referred to as the 'sugar coalition' because their parties' colours resemble that of jelly-beans. The alliance is likely to be unwieldy and driven by desperation to avoid new elections that the FPO would likely win more emphatically than it did in September, as polls suggest support for the party has surged to 34 per cent. On Thursday Mr Kickl said: 'Today is not the end, I'll be back, no question.' Austria is often seen as the bellwether for collaboration between conservatives and the hard-Right in German-speaking countries, as FPO's first inclusion in a government was in partnership with the conservatives in 2000. It once again entered government under the conservatives in 2017.
