"Zuckerl" coming after all?

New offer: Black-Red bring NEOS on board

Christian Stocker and Andreas Babler want to secure a more stable majority in parliament with Beate Meinl-Reisinger's NEOS.(Bild: Krone KREATIV/APA/Georg Hochmuth, Martin A. Jöchl, Mario Urbantschitsch)

The key positions have apparently been fixed, and the ÖVP and SPÖ coalition negotiators are also likely to reach an agreement on budget restructuring. Now a new government could indeed be formed quickly - and the NEOS are reportedly also back in the game.

According to the Ö1 "Morgenjournal", the Pinken are to be given two portfolios: Education and Justice or Foreign Affairs. The Reds are likely to get the Ministry of Finance. As leaked to the "Krone" from negotiating circles, former ORF Director General Alexander Wrabetz is said to have the best cards as the representative of the Vienna SPÖ. Vienna City Councillor for Finance Peter Hanke, on the other hand, is said to have declined. The SPÖ is also to receive infrastructure and social affairs. Lower Austria's regional leader Sven Hergovich could become transport minister, ÖGB vice-president Korinna Schumann social affairs minister.

The ÖVP, on the other hand, is to receive the Ministry of the Interior, the Chancellery, Defense and Agriculture, which could again be filled by the current heads of department. However, there is no official confirmation yet.

NEOS leader Beate Meinl-Reisinger will again be invited to negotiations.(Bild: APA/ROLAND SCHLAGER)

A NEOS party committee met on Friday morning. It is possible that the leaders of the three parties will consult Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen on Friday morning in order to inform him of the next steps.

(Bild: Krone KREATIV/stock.adobe.com)

Swearing-in as early as next week?
As reported, an agreement was also reached on the budget. This year 6.4 billion euros are to be saved, next year 8.4 billion euros. Whether a swearing-in ceremony will take place next week will depend on the talks with the NEOS. In any case, the restructuring path can be decided next week.  

Large sections of the Social Democrats would have preferred more flexible partnerships with the three opposition parties. The fact that they are now trying again is a little surprising, as the NEOS had subjected the SPÖ - especially its leader Andreas Babler - to some harsh criticism when the first tripartite negotiations failed.

FPÖ identifies "voter fraud"
The prospect of a three-party coalition has not left the Freedom Party, which failed to form a government, cold. General Secretary Michael Schnedlitz even writes of "voter fraud" through a "loser traffic light" in a press release. The "clear will of the voters" is being circumvented by "the system".