The first day of the year will also be the last day of the coalition negotiations between the ÖVP and the Greens. The government team is almost complete.
The cabinet of the obviously turquoise-green government is taking shape. On Wednesday, both the ÖVP and the Greens confirmed further personnel decisions. Alexander Schallenberg remains foreign minister, the SN learned. He has been part of the government of experts since the beginning of June and, in addition to external affairs, was also responsible for integration, the EU, art and culture. His area should now be slimmed down and contain only more exterior. For the Greens, the Upper Austrian Provincial Council Rudolf Anschober move into the Ministry of Social Affairs. At least the proposal by Federal Spokesman Werner Kogler to the green party bodies will be accordingly. As Minister of Social Affairs, Anschober should also take over the agendas of health, care and consumer protection. Klaudia Tanner (ÖVP) is to become the first Austrian Defense Minister. The lawyer will face the major challenge of putting the financially troubled army back on a more stable footing. Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) is Interior Minister and should drive a hard course in this role, it was said recently.
It was previously known that Alma Zadic (Green) Minister of Justice and Christine Aschbacher (ÖVP) to become Minister of Labor and Family Affairs. Aschbacher is another surprise in the turquoise-green personal poker. She joins the ranks of female personnel decisions that have become known so far: Susanne Raab (ÖVP) becomes Minister of Integration, Karoline Edtstadler (ÖVP) Minister of Europe. Elisabeth Köstinger (ÖVP) is a permanent minister of agriculture and Margarete Schramböck (ÖVP) as Minister of Economy. This means that women are likely to represent the majority of the future government team.
This is how the ÖVP government team should look
The ÖVP will provide eleven government members. In addition to Chancellor Sebastian Kurz ten ministers will be represented in the new government. The Greens – including Vice Chancellor Werner Kogler, who will take over the agendas for civil servants and sports – will provide four government officials. In addition, the ÖVP and the Greens each nominate a State Secretary.
Gernot Blümel, ÖVP Vienna boss and close short confidant, is persistently acted as finance minister. Heinz Fassmann should become Minister of Education again. It was already known that the Greens would receive a super ministry with the topics of environment, transport and infrastructure, energy, technology and innovation Leonore Gewessler as minister. The Federal Council of Vorarlberg is supposed to Magnus Brunner (ÖVP) as State Secretary. Brunner has been a member of the Federal Council since 2009.
This is how the Greens government team should look like
The Greens pointed out on Wednesday – even after a slight criticism of the outcome of the negotiations – that the ÖVP had probably presented more names, but the Greens’ departments were “very fat”. Not only will Robert, but also Leonore Gewessler, who has been nominated as Minister for the Environment and Infrastructure, “almost a double department”, it said. In addition to Gewessler and Anschober, the Greens had recently confirmed Zadic as Minister of Justice. So on the green side – in addition to the precise assignment of tasks for Werner Kogler – only a State Secretary is missing, or rather a State Secretary.
Appearance on Wednesday evening: the road map for the new government
Both parties announced on Tuesday, January 1st, the “final round” of the talks. The final negotiations of the steering group take place as usual in the Winter Palace in Vienna, after which there should be a joint statement by the party leaders. The talks should start at 5:00 p.m., and are scheduled for a few hours. Large chunks should no longer be discussed at the last round of negotiations, it said.
A joint statement by the party leaders Kurz and Kogler is planned for around 8:00 p.m. to inform the public about the results of the negotiations and how to proceed. It is very likely that a basic agreement will be announced – after all, ministries have already been divided and positions have been assigned.
Government program will not be released until Thursday
The government program should not be announced on the evening of New Year’s Day, however, but only on Thursday afternoon (January 2). After the presentation of the government program, the ÖVP will continue on Friday (January 3) with a party executive. The Extended Federal Executive Committee meets at the Greens on the same day, and on Saturday (January 4) the party invited to the 42nd Federal Congress under the title “Courageous into the future”, at which the final decision on the coalition agreement should be made in Salzburg.
Source: SN, Apa
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