Despite the fact that Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz is facing a vote of no confidence on Tuesday, his Green Party coalition partners plan to push ahead with getting official approval for the budget.
Despite a crisis that could bring down the entire government “there is nothing standing in the way of a budget decision,” said vice-chancellor and Green Party leader Werner Kogler on Saturday.
Important projects such as the expansion of public transport, the funding of extra kindergarten places, digitization of schools and the purchase of vaccines against the coronavirus depended on the budget, Kogler said, adding: “We have a responsibility, so let’s get this sorted out.”
On Tuesday, a vote of no confidence is to be held at a special parliamentary session. Kurz’s office is currently being investigated for financial impropriety although he has denied any wrong-doing and said that he will not resign.
However, Kurz has a good chance of being removed from office on Tuesday, with even his Green coalition partners now considering the 35-year-old chancellor unfit for office and urging his resignation.
All eyes are currently on Austria’s Social Democrats, who are believed to be considering talks to form a four-party coalition with three other parties including the controversial far-right Freedom Party of Austria.
In order to do so, the Social Democrats would have to reverse their public commitment not to work with the Freedom Party of Austria at federal level.
Social Democrat leader Pamela Rendi-Wagner appeared to signal this was an option when she told public broadcaster ORF that “extraordinary situations call for extraordinary measures.”
Rendi-Wagner described a four-party alliance of the Social Democrats, Greens, the liberal NEOS party and the Freedom Party of Austria as “unlikely, but possible,” adding that if it did happen, it would be important for each minister to respect departmental boundaries.
The leader of the FPOe, Herbert Kickl, a vocal opponent of vaccination against the coronavirus, would certainly not become health minister, Rendi-Wagner said, adding that she would be prepared to become chancellor should Kurz be removed from office.
Austria’s other political parties are also holding talks to discuss potential alternative coalitions in order to avoid having to hold fresh elections.
