"Krone" analysis

The most thankless job in the Zuckerl goes to …

All eyes are on the candy - can the coalition fail because of its headlines?(Bild: APA/HANS KLAUS TECHT)

Should. Target. Should. On 210 pages, the Zuckerl addresses many hot topics. At least in the headings - in many cases, the new government of state secretaries will have to flesh out what is written underneath. The most thankless job in this constellation is probably that of Finance Minister. 

After the government negotiations is before the government negotiations: 210 patient pages contain numerous sensible relief measures for taxpayers and the economy. There are also clever-sounding investments in education and infrastructure. Although the social safety net is to be reviewed, it is by no means to be cut, and may even be strengthened in some areas (children!).

Even the hot potato of pension financing, which has traditionally been hushed up as a problem in Austria out of voter fear, is addressed in writing. The real retirement age is to be increased by means of several measures, while budget expenditure for future senior citizens is not to explode. Should. Should. Should.

Because the sword of Damocles hangs over all of this: the next two years will be tough, as a convincing Beate Meinl-Reisinger clearly formulated. There is nothing to distribute, but a lot to save. From 2027, this government, while still in office, should have room for maneuver for real politics again. Depending on how the budget develops, many of the listed measures can then be implemented.

A political professional or an ideological placeholder?
One ministerial question is therefore crucial: will a political professional like Andreas Schieder be appointed Finance Minister at the Palais in Himmelpfortgasse or just an ideological placeholder for Andreas Babler like Michaela Schmidt? Incidentally, she rejects the term "relief": paying taxes is not a burden. All clear?

Naturally, such a government program is mainly adorned with headlines: In many cases, the new state secretary government must first implement what is written underneath. For example, the objectives are succinctly stated as: "New social assistance" or "Long-term efficiency increases in the healthcare sector". The potential for conflict will therefore be enormous.

The cop, the mayor and Angela Merkel from Bad Aussee
Fortunately for the three of them, Herbert Kickl is the polling emperor in the opposition. Christian Stocker, the bull of Austria, Andreas Babler, the mayor of Lower Austria, and Beate Meinl-Reisinger, the Angela Merkel of Bad Aussee, cannot afford to fail.