Babler then once again categorically ruled out a coalition with the Freedom Party. Babler did not want to say anything about the discussions with the potential coalition partners ÖVP, NEOS and the Greens.
On Monday, Kickl, Babler and ÖVP leader Karl Nehammer will be received again by Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen.
The almost 30-minute conversation with Kickl did not change his opinion or the opinion of his party about Kickl and the FPÖ, the SPÖ leader stated in a press statement on Friday. This is: With the entire FPÖ, regardless of the person Herbert Kickl, “a democratic state cannot be created”.
Babler cited the party’s close contacts with right-wing extremist groups including the Identitarians, the questioning of human rights, the FPÖ model of Hungary, the threat to women’s rights, radical positions and the Freedom Party’s previous record as a governing party as reasons. “On the day on which a coalition between the SPÖ and FPÖ would be conceivable, the FPÖ would no longer be the FPÖ,” said Babler.
“I take the desire for change very seriously”
Addressing FPÖ voters, he assured that he took “the desire for change very seriously.” The motto of the future coalition must be: “Cooperation instead of division”. The SPÖ leader did not want to comment on the talks with the other parties, with whom he was ready for “open-ended, constructive discussions”. “I ask for your understanding that my path will not be through the media, but rather the path to becoming the Federal President,” said Babler. Kickl was initially not scheduled to make a press statement after the conversation.
The meeting between Babler and Kickl was the third conversation between the leaders of the three major parties this week. Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen had asked the three strongest parties that emerged from the National Council election to explore among themselves how they could achieve a sustainable majority. After the round of talks has now concluded, Van der Bellen will receive Kickl, Nehammer and Babler one after the other at the Hofburg on Monday for further talks, as the presidential office announced on Friday. It remains unclear whether the Federal President will give an order to form a government.
Bures spoke out in favor of a three-party coalition
Since the ÖVP and SPÖ have ruled out a coalition with the FPÖ, which has the highest number of votes under Kickl, the only option is a collaboration between the People’s Party and the Social Democrats. In order to have a comfortable majority in the National Council, the ÖVP and SPÖ would need a third partner, because in the future they will only have 92 of the 183 mandates in the National Council. Second National Council President Doris Bures also spoke out in favor of a three-party coalition in “profil” on Friday. Parallel to the talks between the major parties, NEOS boss Beate Meinl-Reisinger and Green Party leader Werner Kogler also met for a discussion in the early afternoon on Friday. General future cooperation in the National Council should be discussed.