Until the government is in place

Austria’s finances remain in Carinthian hands

While possible coalitions are still being considered in Vienna, at least one thing is certain: Austria's budget committee will continue to be led by a Carinthian.

It will probably be some time before Austria has a new government. Accordingly, the personnel for the future departments and committees have not yet been determined. With a few exceptions: One of them is the Budget Committee - one of the most powerful committees in our country.

To ensure that everything does not come to a standstill until the government is formed, the four most important committees will be constituted on Thursday: the incompatibility, immunity, rules of procedure and budget committees. The latter will remain in Carinthian hands until further notice.

Lesachtaler remains the country's second most powerful financial politician
The Budget Committee consists of 23 members, seven of whom are from the ÖVP. And as in the previous legislative period, Carinthian Gabriel Obernosterer will continue to hold the position of chairman. "I am of course very honored by this, especially in the transition phase, which will certainly not be an easy one," said the Lesachtal native in an interview with "Krone": "These five party agreements show that the work in the past was not bad!"

And the fact that Obernosterer is retaining his position as chairman not only makes him the second most important financial politician in Austria. As was already the case during the coronavirus pandemic, all proposals submitted - including those in the areas of the economy, education, the environment, etc. - must go through the Budget Committee. Until there is a new government.

In principle, the parties are entitled to a certain number of committee chairs depending on the election results, but it remains to be seen whether Obernosterer will ultimately retain this powerful position once a new government has been sworn in. However, experience shows that governing parties divide up the chair positions of the most important committees, and things are currently looking good for the ÖVP.