"Krone" commentary

Haggling like at the blue-black bazaar

Says one: "That costs 1000." The other: "I'll give you 10.": Christian Stocker and Herbert Kickl are bargaining for the Republic.(Bild: HELMUT FOHRINGER / APA / picturedesk.com)

Yes, the numerous fans of blue-black cooperation have been rambling on: the economic programs are practically congruent, there is hardly a piece of paper between the FPÖ and ÖVP when it comes to the migration plan, and they are also incredibly close on many other points. Now that they are negotiating a coalition, however, the bar is being raised higher every day ...

As if issues such as the attitude towards the EU, support for Ukraine in its defensive war against Russia and much more were not difficult enough to reconcile, the blue negotiators are constantly pulling new demands out of their hats: introduce Raiffeisen tax, abolish accident insurance, radically cut ORF, abolish compulsory chamber memberships and so on.

Nevertheless, the ÖVP is trying to be optimistic. "I hope that we will negotiate on an equal footing," says Lower Austrian VP Governor Mikl-Leitner in the "Krone" interview. However, it is doubtful that this common eye level has already been found, that the negotiating partners can really look each other in the eye.

Letter to "Krone" readers: Klaus Herrmann, Managing Editor-in-Chief(Bild: Krone KREATIV/stock.adobe.com)

The FPÖ is behaving as if it had won an absolute majority in the National Council elections, according to the Black Party. The ÖVP is behaving as if it were still in first place, according to the Blue Party. All winners? "As a politician, you should never want to be the winner when forming a government," writes political professor Peter Filzmaier in his "Krone" analysis of negotiating in general and now in particular.

However, blue and black politicians are probably either unaware of the principles of western, enlightened negotiation or at least do not want to take them to heart. They negotiate - or rather: act - more like at an oriental bazaar. One of them says: "That costs 1000." The other: "I'll give you 10." Do they meet in the middle? Do they part in disagreement? Or are they just putting on a bazaar show, is it all just theater?

Somehow it seems funny that of all people, blue and black people behave in such an oriental way. But the truth is that the situation is serious - after all, nothing less than Austria is at stake!