Farewell in installments

Edtstadler remains in the ÖVP’s exploratory team

Karoline Edtstadler will continue to sound out the ÖVP even after her announcement to retire from top politics.(Bild: Krone KREATIV/APA/MAX SLOVENCIK, APA/GEORG HOCHMUTH)

After Karoline Edtstadler announced her retirement from top politics, there was intense speculation as to whether she would remain a member of the ÖVP's exploratory team for a future federal government. Party leader Karl Nehammer has now commented on this. 

Shortly after her announcement, Edtstadler had already emphasized that she would continue to be "fully available" to Karl Nehammer in the negotiations to form a new federal government. Edtstadler intends to exercise her mandate in the National Council in future and set up a law firm in her home province of Salzburg. She has passed the necessary bar exam.

Edtstadler remains in the ÖVP exploratory team
On Monday afternoon, the Chancellor commented on Karoline Edtstadler remaining in the exploratory team. Of course, she will continue to be part of the People's Party's negotiating team with her expertise and will remain a minister until a new federal government is formed, Nehammer wrote on "X".

In addition to Nehammer, the ÖVP exploratory team will also continue to include August Wöginger, managing chairman of the parliamentary group, Secretary General Christian Stocker, State Secretary Claudia Plakolm and Harald Mahrer, head of the Wirtschaftsbund. There are also no changes on the horizon for the SPÖ. The team is made up of Philip Kucher, the acting head of the party, Eva-Maria Holzleitner, head of women's affairs, Wolfgang Katzian, President of the Austrian Trade Union Federation (ÖGB), Doris Bures, Second President of the National Council, and party chairman Andreas Babler.

ÖVP and SPÖ in search of junior partners
The latter was already active on Monday. A meeting with NEOS leader Beate Meinl-Reisinger was scheduled for later in the afternoon. Her party is seen as a likely third partner should the ÖVP and SPÖ agree to work together. Meinl-Reisinger had already met with Nehammer before the fall break - as did Green Party spokesperson Werner Kogler.

The latter will also have a meeting with Babler in the course of the week. The Greens are still only considered to be a blatant outsider as far as government participation is concerned, but would probably be needed more often when it comes to two-thirds issues.