- Title: Austrian president says new government has to address the climate crisis
- Date: 1st October 2019
- Summary: VIENNA, AUSTRIA (OCTOBER 1, 2019) (REUTERS) INTERIM AUSTRIAN CHANCELLOR BRIGITTE BIERLEIN AND AUSTRIAN PRESIDENT ALEXANDER VAN DER BELLEN ARRIVING VAN DER BELLEN ADDRESSING MEMBERS OF INTERIM GOVERNMENT (SOUNDBITE) (German) AUSTRIAN PRESIDENT, ALEXANDER VAN DER BELLEN, SAYING: "No matter who forms the next government and in what constellation, it will have to address the global climate crisis. This doesn't just affect Austria but the whole world." MEMBERS OF INTERIM GOVERNMENT LISTENING (SOUNDBITE) (German) AUSTRIAN PRESIDENT, ALEXANDER VAN DER BELLEN, SAYING: "And no matter the make-up of the future government, it will have to rebuild the trust which was shaken by the Ibiza scandal and its consequences." BIERLEIN LISTENING CAMERAS AND PRESENTER FROM AUSTRIAN NATIONAL PUBLIC BROADCASTER ORF VARIOUS OF BIERLEIN AND VAN DER BELLEN SIGNING DISCHARGE CERTIFICATES FOR INTERIM GOVERNMENT PHOTOGRAPHERS BIERLEIN AND VAN DER BELLEN SHAKING HANDS MEDIA VAN DER BELLEN, BIERLEIN AND MEMBERS OF INTERIM GOVERNMENT EXTERIOR OF AUSTRIAN CHANCELLERY BUILDING VIENNA, AUSTRIA (SEPTEMBER 30, 2019) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF AUSTRIAN PARLIAMENT BUILDING POLITICAL CONSULTANT AND MANAGING PARTNER AT H&P PUBLIC AFFAIRS THOMAS HOFER WALKING PAST (SOUNDBITE) (German) POLITICAL CONSULTANT AND MANAGING PARTNER AT H&P PUBLIC AFFAIRS, THOMAS HOFER, SAYING: "One thing's for certain: we are going to see a very long period of coalition-building, because there isn't an obvious logical option for Sebastian Kurz. All the options have more disadvantages than advantages and so it will take a long time and be very difficult for him." GREENS PARTY ELECTION POSTER (SOUNDBITE) (German) POLITICAL CONSULTANT AND MANAGING PARTNER AT H&P PUBLIC AFFAIRS, THOMAS HOFER, SAYING: "I think the OVP (Austrian People's Party) will make a serious effort, but it could fail at any time because the Greens and the OVP are worlds apart on policy. One thing is clear: when I look at a two-way coalition with the OVP and the Greens, I'm very sceptical about whether Sebastian Kurz really wants it, because they would only have a small majority in the National Assembly." AUSTRIAN AND EUROPEAN UNION FLAG FLYING (SOUNDBITE) (German) POLITICAL CONSULTANT AND MANAGING PARTNER AT H&P PUBLIC AFFAIRS, THOMAS HOFER, SAYING: "A three-way coalition with the Greens and the liberals, that is the Neos, would of course have a larger majority and thus at least be a bit more stable. But - and it's a big but - the problems in a such a coalition aren't just added together: they multiply. And Sebastian Kurz knows that. That would make it a very difficult constellation to manage." DETAIL OF BUILDING (SOUNDBITE) (German) POLITICAL CONSULTANT AND MANAGING PARTNER AT H&P PUBLIC AFFAIRS, THOMAS HOFER, SAYING: "Turquoise-red (a coalition between the OVP and the Social Democrats) cannot be ruled out. It is certainly not Sebastian Kurz's preferred option, but I'm actually not sure if he has any preferred option at all, since they all have pitfalls. A coalition with the Social Democrats would at least be stable, but it would be the end of Sebastian Kurz's narrative of change. Whereas working with the Greens or the Neos, the liberals, he could continue this narrative at any time, and perhaps even double down on it, including internationally." TRAFFIC
- Embargoed: 15th October 2019 12:25
- Keywords: Austrian election coalition talks Alexander Van der Bellen Brigitte Bierlein government climate crisis
- Location: VIENNA, AUSTRIA
- City: VIENNA, AUSTRIA
- Country: Austria
- Topics: Government/Politics,Elections/Voting
- Reuters ID: LVA001AZ9KUH3
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Austria's president said on Tuesday (October 1) that the country's next government would have to address the global climate crisis when it took office, as well as rebuilding trust shattered by a corruption scandal that brought down the previous government.
President Alexander Van der Bellen, a former leader of the Greens, is likely to formally task conservative leader Sebastian Kurz with forming a coalition later this week after his People's Party (OVP) triumphed in Sunday's election.
On Tuesday Van der Bellen formally discharged an interim government led by Chancellor Brigitte Bierlein, but asked its members to remain in their posts until a new government is formed.
Kurz's previous government was brought down by a corruption scandal involving the OVP's coalition partner, the far-right Freedom Party (FPO). In May a sting video was published showing FPO leader and Vice Chancellor Heinz-Christian Strache offering to fix state contracts.
Kurz, 33, has not ruled out any coalition partners and has said he will speak to all parties in parliament. It is widely assumed that these coalition talks will take a relatively long time and could last until Christmas or later. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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