Focus on sensitive issues

New government unlikely before mid-February

From the left: ÖVP leader Christian Stocker and FPÖ chairman Herbert Kickl(Bild: Krone KREATIV/APA/Alex Halada, APA/Herbert Neubauer)

The ÖVP and FPÖ do not expect to be able to announce a new government before mid-February. The subgroups on agriculture, environmental protection, the constitution and family will meet today, Tuesday. This week they will also discuss sensitive issues such as the Sky Shield, migration and the ORF.

While at the weekend it still looked as if there were increasing disputes between the negotiators, attempts have been made since Monday to continue working constructively on a coalition. There was no mutual unfriendliness at the start of the week. The timetable is likely to have been pushed back.

The group, which initially negotiated the areas of agriculture, environmental protection and climate policy, has now been split into smaller rounds of talks. Although FPÖ chairman Herbert Kickl railed against green "climate communism" at his party's New Year's meeting, his party is open to renewable energies. The climate ticket for public transport could be renamed an "Austria ticket".

Sensitive issues become a top priority
The sub-group "Constitution, deregulation, public service, fight against anti-Semitism and political Islam" is also likely to agree on some points. The "Family, Youth and Women" group will also meet again on Tuesday.

Really sensitive issues such as the ORF, Sky Shield and migration are to be discussed exclusively between the chief negotiators - over the course of this week. The government could then be announced from mid-February.