For Austria, the political situation is unprecedented, as coalition formation talks have never taken this long. View on euronews

European parties said Saturday they would resume coalition talks after the far-right failed to form a government, casting aside their differences amid geopolitical tensions.

Austria's conservative People's Party (OVP) and Social Democrats (SPO) said on Friday they had widened their talks aimed at forming a coalition government to include the small, liberal Neos party so as to have a solid majority in parliament.

However, Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen did not give the Freedom Party leader the mandate to form a coalition government until January, after attempts to form a coalition bloc without Kickl’s party failed. There has not been a far-right leading party in Austria’s government since World War II.

In this week’s Inside Austria, we look at the renewed push for an ÖVP-SPÖ-NEOS government, the risks of a three-party coalition, and whether Austria could finally be on track for a stable government.

The FPÖ has returned its mandate to the president, the ecologist Alexander Van der Bellen, who must find a solution to get the country out of the political stalemate it has been in since the September 2024 legislative elections.

The leaders of the three biggest centrist parties in Austria's parliament said on Saturday they were confident they would reach a deal to form a coalition government without the far right, almost five months after a new lower house was elected.

The three biggest centrist parties in Austria's parliament on signalled on Saturday they were on the verge of agreeing a coalition government, almost five months after an election won by the far-right Freedom Party (FPO),

Austrian parties looking to forge a centrist alliance of conservative, social democrat and liberal groups are making progress toward agreeing on a government program.

Austrian President Alexander van der Bellen gives a press statement after coalition talks between the far-right Freedom Party (FPOe) and People's Party (OeVP) ended in Vienna, Austria, February 12, 2025.