VIENNA (Reuters) – Austria’s far-right Freedom Party, which won a state election in Styria last month, announced a coalition deal on Tuesday that will make its leader there governor of the southern state.
It is the first time one of Austria’s nine states will be led by the eurosceptic, Russia-friendly Freedom Party (FPO) since its charismatic then-leader Joerg Haider was governor of Carinthia in the 2000s.
The three weeks it took to reach a coalition deal contrasts with national coalition talks that are still ongoing following the country’s general election on Sept. 29. The resurgent FPO has not been invited to join those talks despite coming top in the general election.
Mario Kunasek, the party’s leader in Styria, told a news conference the FPO and its future coalition partner, the conservative People’s party (OVP), had shown an ability to listen to each other and overcome their differences that “distinguishes us in our political culture from others”.
That was an apparent swipe at OVP Chancellor Karl Nehammer, who before and after September’s general election ruled out going into government with FPO leader Herbert Kickl.
The FPO secured about 29% of the national vote and would have needed a coalition partner to form a government. Since all other parliamentary parties ruled out governing with it, President Alexander Van der Bellen tasked Nehammer with forming a government. He is in coalition talks with two other parties.
Kunasek outlined some plans for Styria, ranging from local issues such as hospital provision to measures targeting “Islamism” which include a ban on religious clothing for state administration employees.
(Reporting by Francois Murphy; Editing by Christina Fincher)
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