Austrian President Begins Talks to Form New Governing Coalition After National Elections

Riyadh, October 5, 2024 (Saudi Arabia Breaking News) – Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen has initiated preliminary discussions with leaders of the parliamentary parties following the recent National Council elections to facilitate the formation of a new governing coalition.

On Friday, President Van der Bellen met with Herbert Kickl, leader of the Freedom Party of Austria, which won the most seats in the parliamentary elections. According to a statement from the Presidential Office in Vienna, the President will meet with leaders of the other four major parties – the People’s Party, the Social Democratic Party, the New Austria and Liberal Forum, and the Greens – in the coming days.

The President’s goal is to assess the ability of party leaders to form a stable governing coalition that can secure a majority in Parliament. Once this evaluation is complete, President Van der Bellen will assign the task of forming a government to the party leader most likely to achieve a parliamentary majority. Traditionally, this responsibility falls to the leader of the party that secured the highest number of votes in the election.

The talks mark the beginning of a critical phase in Austria’s political landscape, as the new coalition will play a key role in shaping the country’s policies and governance for the coming years.