The final hurdles

Final talks: where the sugar pact is still stuck

Karl Nehammer, Beate Meinl-Reisinger and Andreas Babler could enter into government negotiations on Friday.(Bild: Krone KREATIV/Reuters/Lisa Leutner, APA/Helmut Fohringer)

Almost seven weeks after the national elections, the exploratory talks are now on the home straight. However, before the ÖVP, SPÖ and NEOS enter into concrete negotiations, there are still some statutory hurdles to overcome. Which resolution is still missing and who will soon be negotiating which topics. 

Almost seven weeks after the National Council elections, the official starting signal for the government negotiations could be given on Friday. As is well known, the ÖVP and SPÖ have been sounding things out for some time - but the NEOS have only been involved since this week. Nevertheless, everything depends on the junior partner of the two old parties.