Austria’s chancellor resigned in an effort to prevent the collapse of the far-right

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Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer has announced his resignation following the collapse of months-long efforts to build a centrist coalition that would exclude the far right.

The country faces the possibility of new elections after failing to form a government without the anti-immigration Freedom Party (FPÖ), which secured a historic victory. finished in first place in a national vote in September.

Nehammer, who also announced he would step down as leader of the moderately conservative People’s Party (ÖVP), was tasked by the president with finding a way to form a coalition after all other parties in parliament ruled out a deal. cooperated with the FPÖ’s hardline leader Herbert Kickl.

The 52-year-old man has been serving as prime minister since 2021 when his predecessor Sebastian Kurz resigned amid a corruption investigation, has sought to reach an agreement with the Social Democrats and the small, liberal Neos party.

But on Friday, Neos abruptly withdrew from the talks and on Saturday, Nehammer announced that he was abandoning his bid to form a government.

“Unfortunately, today I have to tell you that the negotiations have ended and the People’s Party will not continue,” he said in a video statement on social media platform X.

“I will step down as prime minister and leader of the People’s Party in the coming days and create the conditions for an orderly transition.”

Nehammer said that “destructive forces” within the Social Democratic Party had “gained the upper hand” in the negotiations and that his party was not ready to sign up to its proposed economic program.

Social Democratic Party leader Andreas Babler said he regretted the ÖVP’s decision to end negotiations, adding that his party was ready to compromise. “This is not a good decision for our country,” he said.

The failure of the talks deepens Austria’s political instability at a time when its economy risks shrinking for a third year from 2025, according to the data. faces the challenge of finding budget cuts of between 18 billion euros and 24 billion euros. from the EU Commission.

One possibility is new elections, but that could risk further strengthening the Liberal Party, with polls showing the far-right party has gained support since September’s vote , when the party won 29%.

ÖVP must also begin a search for new leadership and officials are expected to meet on Sunday to discuss the process.

Austrian political analysts on Saturday speculated that Kurz could seek to regain leadership of the ÖVP, after the former prime minister’s biographer hinted in an article published in Germany’s Bild newspaper that People close to him are considering the opportunity to return to politics.

While Nehammer has consistently refused to cooperate with far-right leader Kickl, who has taken the Liberal Party further to the right since taking power in 2021, Babler warned of the danger his successor as the conservative party leader might be willing to do that. reach an agreement with him.

“We know what’s threatening to happen now. An FPÖ-ÖVP government with a right-wing extremist prime minister would endanger our democracy on many points,” he said.

Additional reporting by Sam Jones