Formation of government: Kickl wants to usher in a new era with “honest politics”.

Before the start of coalition negotiations in Austria with the conservative ÖVP, FPÖ leader Herbert Kickl set key conditions. The ÖVP must share its credo of “honest politics,” said the right-wing populist.

“No games, no tricks, no sabotage, no cross-talk,” he warned at his first press conference after being tasked with forming a government. It is important to restore people’s trust in politics in general. With hard work, honesty and courage, it would be possible to create a spirit of optimism in the country.

If the ÖVP did not follow his criteria, he blatantly threatened new elections: “We are prepared for it.” According to surveys, the right-wing populists have once again significantly increased their gap to the ÖVP and the social democratic SPÖ compared to the parliamentary election 100 days ago.

Kickl demanded that the ÖVP admit that it was to blame for the current problems. “This includes understanding who is responsible for the mistakes of the past that have brought our country into a very, very difficult and challenging situation.”

Plea for “healthy patriotism”

Otherwise, Kickl remained mostly vague. Questions were also not welcome at the press appearance. General messages were important to him: “With a concentration on the essentials, with normality and common sense, with a healthy patriotism and with a pronounced love of freedom” a necessary political change could be achieved.

The FPÖ leader pushed for speed. In the evening, the FPÖ officially invited the ÖVP to coalition negotiations.

Kickl: Chancellor is not a goal in life

Kickl accused the previous ÖVP and Greens government of driving the country to the wall and leaving a huge budget hole. He did not name any concrete steps as to how he wanted to solve this central financial policy problem.

After the decline of the past few years, there is a need for reconstruction in a spirit of new optimism. It was not his lifelong dream to become chancellor, said Kickl. “Whoever says that doesn’t know anything about me.” But he lets the voters hold him accountable.

The FPÖ was given the task of forming a government after the failure of coalition talks between the ÖVP, SPÖ and the liberal Neos and the breakdown of the subsequent talks between the ÖVP and SPÖ. Head of state Alexander Van der Bellen, a former Green Party leader, had made it clear that this step was not easy for him. Kickl would be the first FPÖ chancellor in Austria.

Experts assume that the coalition talks will only last weeks and not months. In view of the severe economic crisis, it is essential that a government capable of acting is installed as soon as possible.

First of all, Chancellor Karl Nehammer, who has already resigned as ÖVP party leader, will also officially give up the office of head of government. That should happen on Friday. According to reports, Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen will present a successor on Wednesday. This person will lead the government until a new government is sworn in.

Stumbling blocks for the ÖVP and FPÖ coalition

Even if the signs are favorable for a successful conclusion of alliance talks between the FPÖ and ÖVP, there are obstacles. These include the discrepancies in security, foreign and EU policy.

Differing opinions between the two parties could, if necessary, be overcome, at least declaratively, by a preamble in the coalition agreement. An example of this is the first ÖVP-FPÖ coalition at the beginning of the millennium under the then ÖVP Chancellor Wolfgang Schüssel.