Death in the family

ÖVP and SPÖ postpone exploratory talks

Karl Nehammer has other duties on Monday.(Bild: APA/HELMUT FOHRINGER)

The exploratory talks between the ÖVP and SPÖ originally scheduled for Monday afternoon at Palais Epstein have been postponed to Tuesday "due to several scheduling conflicts". According to "Krone" information, this is due to a bereavement. 

However, the meeting between ÖVP leader Karl Nehammer, SPÖ leader Andreas Babler and NEOS leader Beate Meinl-Reisinger planned for the morning will take place as planned.

In the run-up to the meeting, the parties were all rather tight-lipped and no specific time was given for the meeting between the party leaders in the morning. Exploratory talks between the ÖVP and SPÖ should have taken place afterwards.

However, a bereavement in the Chancellor's immediate family delayed the meeting by 24 hours. His father-in-law, the "Aktenzeichen XY" legend Peter Nidetzky, has died at the age of 84.

There is plenty to talk about for the ÖVP and SPÖ. An illustrious red deer hunt in Styria is also likely to be a topic. Included: the bankrupt real estate juggler René Benko - and a top red politician who is currently even being considered for a ministerial post.

Who will complete the three-party coalition?
But even if the Turquoise-Red coalition reaches an agreement, a third partner is needed for a stable government. The choice is admittedly a somewhat delicate one. While the ÖVP prefers the NEOS, the SPÖ wants to keep the option with the Greens open.

Last week, the NEOS once again expressed their willingness to take on government responsibility. The announcement by NEOS Secretary General Douglas Hoyos that he wanted to take over the Ministry of Finance caused irritation among the ÖVP and SPÖ. The ÖVP responded by stating that now was not the time to discuss potential government posts, but content. The SPÖ was also "astonished": "What people don't want is a policy that puts posts before content", said SPÖ Federal Secretary Klaus Seltenheim on Friday.