Austria’s center-left Social Democrats and the conservative People’s Party rebuilt their fractured coalition on Sunday, dispelling fears that the far-right could become part of a new governing alliance.
The agreement came almost two months after the Social Democrats won the most votes in Sept. 28 parliamentary elections, but not enough to govern alone.
The People’s Party finished second in an election that also showed strong gains for Austria’s two right-wing parties, the Freedom Party and the Alliance for the Future of Austria.
GRAND COALITION
The so-called Grand Coalition rebuilds a partnership that collapsed earlier this year after months of acrimony over issues such as tax reform and EU policy. In announcing their decision to give the coalition another try, both parties sought to convey a newfound spirit of friendship and cooperation.
“It shows determination in [taking] a common path for our country,” said Werner Faymann, Austria’s top Social Democrat, who will be the country’s new chancellor.
People’s Party leader Josef Proell said “the will was there” to work constructively with Faymann and his side.
“I’m very pleased that after five weeks of hard work we’ve laid the groundwork for five years of good work for Austria,” Proell said.
Faymann and Proell spoke at a joint news conference in parliament following a final round of closed-door coalition talks.
Heading into the negotiations after the elections, Faymann had pledged not to forge an alliance with either of the country’s right-wing parties.
But the combined total of 28.2 percent for the two far-right parties put them on nearly equal footing with the Social Democrats, making them difficult to ignore — and evoking memories of 1999, when Joerg Haider, then leader of the Freedom Party, won 27 percent of the vote.
His party’s subsequent inclusion in the government — despite international alarm over statements seen as anti-Semitic or sympathetic to Adolf Hitler’s labor policies — triggered months of EU sanctions.
SQUABBLING
Analysts said voters’ displeasure over the squabbling between the Social Democrats and the People’s Party had boosted the far-right.
Over the past two months, commentators and citizens have expressed reservations about the prospect of resurrecting the Grand Coalition after a similar union collapsed in July after 18 months of governing together.
Political analyst Peter Filzmaier said the coalition’s fate will hinge upon how it deals with the global economic downturn.
“If they fail in dealing with the international financial crisis, they will fail in the next election,” Filzmaier said, describing Sunday’s announcement as “exactly what was expected.”
The new government is expected to be sworn into office early next month.
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