Three parties agree to a coalition in Austria, keeping far-right out

The three had announced the coalition deal last week, but members of the liberal Neos party still needed to approve the agreement to join the government.

The new government is due to be sworn in on Monday, ending the five-month wait since the Austrian far-right FPÖ (Freedom Party) came out on top of national elections with around 29% of the vote. It had been the longest period in Austrian politics for a coalition to form.

The alliance between the three parties was one of the last alternatives to avoid a snap election which opinion polls suggest would have increased FPÖ’s lead. 

If Neos’ party members hadn’t agreed to enter the coalition, the SPÖ and ÖVP parties would have been left with a parliamentary majority of only one seat – viewed as too narrow to effectively govern. 

“Thank you, thank you,” Neos leader Beate Meinl-Reisinger said after the vote, “The work starts tomorrow. Now I want to celebrate.” 

It is the first time the liberal Neos party will participate in a federal government in the party’s 13-year history. 

Over 94% of almost 2,000 members of the Neos party voted in favour of the agreement, paving the way for the three-party coalition to take office. At least a two third majority vote was needed for the party to participate in the coalition. 

The SPÖ and ÖVP had previously presented their future government team to the media, tapping ÖVP party leader Christian Stocker as the new federal chancellor. Head of the SPÖ Andreas Babler will take up the mantle of Vice Chancellor. 

As the party which garnered the second most votes in last year’s elections, the SPÖ will lead the government. SPÖ will control the finance ministry and Neos foreign affairs and education. 

The coalition government in waiting is set to impose impose stricter measures for asylum seekers — including at least a temporary pause in family reunification — revised tenancy laws, and planned cuts in benefits.