The conservative Austrian People’s Party’s designated leader said he is willing to engage in coalition talks with the far-right Freedom Party.
After the collapse of coalition talks between the conservative Austrian People’s Party (ÖVP) and the Social Democrats (SPÖ), Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen said on Sunday he would meet far-right Freedom Party (FPÖ) leader Herbert Kickl on Monday.
“Voices within the People’s Party that rule out cooperation with an FPO under Herbert Kickl have become much quieter. This in turn means that a new path may be opening up that did not exist before,” Van der Bellen.
The newly designated leader of the ÖVP, Christian Stocker, said Sunday he was prepared to negotiate with the FPÖ regarding forming a government coalition after talks to form a centrist coalition fell apart.
Stocker’s predecessor had consistently ruled out working with Kickl and the FPÖ.
He however told reporters, “the leader of the party with the most votes will be tasked with forming a future government.”
“If we are invited to these [coalition] talks, we will accept this invitation,” he said.
Stocker was chosen to lead the Austria’s ruling conservative ÖVP after Chancellor Karl Nehammer announced the end of coalition talks and his resignation on Saturday.
More to come on this developing story.
DW News
