After the Vorarlberg state elections, one of the three Vorarlberg mandates went from the Greens to the FPÖ. The other two remain with the ÖVP. For the outgoing black-green federal government, however, this means that its majority in the Federal Council has been lost.
Since the last census, the Federal Council has consisted of 60 members. The composition is now as follows: ÖVP 25 mandates, SPÖ 18 mandates, FPÖ 11 mandates, Greens 5 mandates and Neos one mandate.
With 30 seats, the ÖVP and the Greens no longer have a majority. ÖVP and SPÖ have a majority of 43 seats, ÖVP and FPÖ also have a majority with 36 seats.
The state chamber is not directly elected by the people. Its members are sent by the state parliaments. These exercise their function for the duration of the legislative periods of the respective state parliament. The composition of the Federal Council changes after each state election. There are therefore no legislative periods in the Federal Council. The Federal Council has met continuously since 1945.
Government search pace
Committee meetings took place in Vorarlberg the day after the state election. It was previously expected that Governor Markus Wallner (ÖVP) would be given a pouvoir regarding the choice of partner. Wallner will hold the first exploratory talks tomorrow with Christof Bitschi (FPÖ), Daniel Zadra (Greens) and Claudia Gamon (Neos). It was said that an appointment was still being sought with Mario Leiter (SPÖ). There should be more in-depth discussions as early as Thursday – then only with one party.
The FPÖ, as a likely coalition partner, also convened the committees for Monday evening. The Freedom Party had to set up a team for the talks and think about the strategy for negotiations with the ÖVP. The point is to consider whether to have three state councilors (according to the state constitution, the state government consists of seven people) or to forego one and instead aim for the post of state governor (i.e. a LH deputy) in the person of Bitschi.
There are no fears of contact between the ÖVP and FPÖ in Vorarlberg; unlike in other federal states, black and blue has a long history in the state. From 1949 onwards, representatives of the VdU and from 1954 explicitly of the FPÖ sat on the government bench without interruption until 2009. From the outside, the People’s Party seems to find it easier to work together with the Freedom Party than with the Greens. Wallner has two options – neither the Freedom Party nor the Greens can go too far with their demands without risking not being taken into account. The most likely sticking point could be the aforementioned division of government seats.
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