Sees hardly any support

FPÖ sees Nehammer’s support in ÖVP dwindling

Before the second round of exploratory talks on forming a government between the ÖVP and SPÖ on Tuesday, the Freedom Party has once again shot across the bows. General Secretary Christian Hafenecker sees the support of ÖVP Chancellor Karl Nehammer dwindling in his own party - he is increasingly a "king without an empire or a chancellor without followers". 

Hafenecker cited the recent withdrawal of Chancellery Minister Karoline Edtstadler as evidence of this. "The faithful are leaving the sinking ship," Hafenecker emphasized at a press conference. Before Edtstadler, Finance Minister Magnus Brunner, who is leaving Austria for Brussels, and Economics Minister Martin Kocher, who is moving to the Austrian National Bank (OeNB), had already abandoned ship.

Hafenecker convinced: ÖVP expects "negotiation disaster"
In addition, Nehammer had become "persona non grata" in the federal states. During the state election campaign, Vorarlberg made the "urgent request that he should not get involved there", and the same is now happening in Styria, according to Hafenecker, who claims to have heard criticism of Nehammer's course at yesterday's launch of the Styrian People's Party's intensive election campaign. "Obviously, the ÖVP is already expecting a negotiation disaster", explained the Freedom Party Secretary General.

Hafenecker sees the support of Nehammer's followers dwindling with the departures of Magnus Brunner and Karoline Edtstadler.(Bild: APA/ROLAND SCHLAGER)

FPÖ does not see "stable" conditions with SPÖ
Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen wants a stable government and that quickly, as he has emphasized. However, if you look at what is happening in the SPÖ, it is "anything but stable", Hafenecker referred to Rudolf Fußi's candidacy for the SPÖ chairmanship. And they didn't get off to a quick start either, but held an "autumn vacation".

Industry and business were sending "clear signals to the Freedom Party that Nehammer had taken the wrong path". And if an incumbent chancellor is "banned from Styria and Vorarlberg" after the election defeat in the National Council elections, then the question must be asked whether Nehammer does not have a problem in his own party. Hafenecker cannot answer why the decision-making process in the ÖVP is taking so long.

ÖVP and the SPÖ are "not compatible"
He also hears "up and down the country that people are massively angry because they feel robbed of their votes". The ÖVP is trying to form a left-wing coalition with the Babler SPÖ, although there is a "clear middle-class majority" in this country. Hafenecker is looking forward to the outcome of the negotiations, in which both Babler and Nehammer will have to explain to their own clientele why they have made concessions. The demands of the ÖVP and the SPÖ are "not compatible", says the Freedom Party Secretary General: "I think it's like squaring the circle."