Austria has finally broken out of political deadlock with the creation of a new centrist coalition government after a record 129-day period of talks. The conservative Austrian People’s Party ÖVP, the center-left Social Democrats SPÖ and the liberal Neos presented the deal on Thursday, 27 February 2025, for the longest post-election period in the country since World War II.
The coalition counts out far-right Freedom Party (FPÖ), which came first in the vote to the national assembly in September 29, 2024, with 28.8% of the vote but failed to form a government. FPÖ chief Herbert Kickl’s efforts to team up with the ÖVP disintegrated on February 12 owing to disagreements between allies and opening the door for the centrist alliance.
Christian Stocker, the new ÖVP party leader is in line to become chancellor. The coalition has a slim parliamentary majority with 92 out of 183 seats, supported by 18 seats belonging to Neos. Analysts see the deal as an effort to shore up Austria’s fragile politics in an era of resurgent far right. 
The outgoing government, an ÖVP-Green coalition remains in a caretaking capacity until the new government is formally sworn-in. This important agreement shows Austria’s resilience in supporting a centre ground at a time of unpopular ties between various political positions.
