Austrian centrist parties reach deal to govern without far right

Austria’s three main centrist parties in parliament reached a deal to form a coalition government without the far-right Freedom Party that won the last parliamentary election five months ago.

VIENNA — Austria’s three main centrist parties in parliament reached a deal to form a coalition government without the far-right Freedom Party that won the last parliamentary election five months ago.

In a deal that should bring to a close Austria’s longest wait for a new government since World War II, the center-right, liberal and center-left parties unveiled a program including tax increases on banks and energy companies, spending cuts and immigration curbs.

The three parties had already tried and failed to form a coalition, after which the eurosceptic, Russia-friendly FPO was given a chance to form a government but also failed.

“We have come through perhaps the most difficult talks on forming a government in our country’s history,” the leader of the conservative People’s Party (OVP) and likely future chancellor, Christian Stocker, told a news conference with counterparts from the Social Democrats (SPO) and liberal Neos party.

They presented the roughly 200-page government program that included policies to bring the budget deficit within the E.U. limit of 3% of economic output and avoid action by Brussels.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/austrian-centrist-parties-reach-deal-govern-far-right-rcna194177

---