Tankapfel Interior Ministry
Coalition negotiations in Austria shortly before the demolition
Updated on 12.02.2025 – 10:20 a.m.Reading time: 2 min.
The tone between ÖVP and FPÖ has become rougher in the past few days. The main question is about the question of a ministry.
The negotiations between the conservative Austrian People’s Party (ÖVP) and the right -wing populist Freedom of Austria (FPÖ) are on the crossroads. According to the media reports of the conservatives, the FPÖ gave an ultimatum. By 11 a.m. on Wednesday, the opposite side had time to address its last offer to distribute the ministries, otherwise the negotiations would be canceled.
The biggest point of dispute is the Ministry of the Interior. Both parties claim this for themselves. The “core competencies” of right-wing populists are located in the Interior Ministry in the areas of security and asylum, FPÖ boss Herbert Kickl argued on social media. In return, his party offers the ÖVP important agendas such as foreign policy, economy, infrastructure and defense.
Kickl led the Ministry of the Interior during the joint government in 2017 to 2019. During this time, a police raid fell in the protection of the constitution. Friendly foreign intelligence agencies then classified their cooperation with Austria. In the most recent offer of the FPÖ, the Protection of the Constitution in the Ministry of the Interior would be subject to a ÖVP state secretariat.
However, the ÖVP does not want to accept this offer. Instead, it suggests the FPÖ to the establishment of its own asylum and Migration Ministry under the leadership of the freedom. For this, the People’s Party would receive the Ministry of the Interior, including control over the secret services and the Ministry of Finance.
On Tuesday, Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen made rapid clarity whether the government talks were canceled or continued. The parties have hardly made any progress in fundamental questions and the tone in the public statements on both sides has recently tightened.
The FPÖ still has not reacted to a proposal by the ÖVP, in which the conservatives had called for a commitment to the European Union and against foreign influence, criticized ÖVP general secretary Alexander Pröll.
The Vorarlberg head of state Markus Wallner (ÖVP) found even sharper words. Kickl is “trapped in power in power instead of sustainable content and competence -related compromises”. If Kickl does not move, it is “no state to do with him”.
