Austria’s far-right head Herbert Kickl and his potential coalition partners announced on Monday that they have come to a resolution to reduce the budget deficit, a crucial first step toward what would be the country’s earliest post-World War II administration led by the far right.
Kickl, whose Freedom Party won Austria’s legislative election in September, received a mission to try to form a state with the liberal Austrian People’s Party a week ago. The latter had recently attempted to form a government without Kickl, but long discussions with two other major parties ended in a deadlock, with the issue of how to get the country’s finances in form a essential sticking point.
On Monday, the two parties said they had agreed to some 6.3 billion euros ($ 6.5 billion ) in savings this year that would get Austria’s deficit below the 3 % maximum mandated by European Union rules.
Kickl said that would be achieved without new fees,” with measures against duty loopholes and privileges, especially those of large players, with savings in the department machine, with an end to extreme subsidies”. The negotiations had no specifics in mind because they still need to thrash out a comprehensive economic offer.
” We have achieved together, in three days of intense and great negotiations, what was not feasible in about 100 times in a different social constellation”, Kickl said in a tap at the major events ‘ earlier efforts.
Forming a fresh government may still take weeks or months, and it isn’t always going to be successful. After Karl Nehammer, Austria’s head for the past three decades, resigned following his unsuccessful attempt to form a new coalition, Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg has been appointed as interim president.
As senior EU leaders prepare to face an Austria under the leadership of the euroskeptic, Russia-friendly, and anti-immigration Freedom Party, Schallenberg was scheduled to meet them in Brussels on Monday.
According to the Austria Press Agency, he stated prior to his journey that “my message is clear: Austria is and continues to be a powerful, trustworthy, and creative partner in the European Union.”
But, Schallenberg doesn’t plan to stay in the government under Kickl and doesn’t talk for the potential new partnership.
