Vienna relies on Rot-Pink: Ludwig starts coalition talks with Neos!

Vienna relies on Rot-Pink: Ludwig starts coalition talks with Neos!

The political landscape in Vienna is facing a crucial phase because Mayor Michael Ludwig (SPÖ) has announced that it will continue working with the NEOS. This decision comes despite the loss of voting and a falling turnout in the recent municipal council election. Nevertheless, Ludwig plans to start coalition negotiations with the NEOS, with the aim of completing the talks in three weeks at the latest. The negotiations are scheduled to start on Tuesday morning, while the negotiation team from Ludwig will remain secret up to this point. Neos is optimistic about the start of the negotiations, with Vice Mayor Bettina Emmerling describing the vote of the SPÖ as "good news for Vienna".

This new political agenda was determined according to internal consultations by the Vienna SPÖ. According to a unanimous decision in the SPÖ presidium and with a vote against the board, Ludwig decided to continue negotiations with the NEOS. Education City Councilor Christoph Return will play a central role in the negotiation team. However, the content and the distribution of the upcoming coalition are still unclear whether the NEOS will take over the educational department again.

Central project of the coalition

In his announcements, Ludwig called several central projects, including the expansion of the health system, a stronger German funding at schools as well as measures for public security, such as a weapon ban. Talks with the ÖVP and the Greens went “good and very cooperative”, while the FPÖ was not mentioned in these talks. The criticism of the red-pink continuation is noticeable among the opposition parties. The Greens accuse the SPÖ "despondent and pale politics" and criticize the ignoring of the will to voters. The ÖVP is also disappointed, as Markus Figl clarifies and speaks of a decision against the political center.

The FPÖ, represented by its boss Dominik Nepp, predicts “five more bad years” for Vienna and expects a savings package from the city. These predictions are in the context of general uncertainties in Austrian politics, which have increased since the last elections in the evening at the end of September 2024. Since then, Austria has been shaped by the uncertainties of a possible coalition of ÖVP, SPÖ and NEOS, which have to overcome great challenges and regain trust.

political challenges and trust in politics

Five months after the election, the new coalition must master a variety of challenges. This includes not only the paralyzing economy, which is also burdened by the war in Europe, but also the increased distrust of politicians. The political maneuvers of all parties have severely affected the credibility. In particular, the SPÖ suffers from internal wing struggles and difficulties in the distribution of the minister, which also complicates the negotiations. Despite these challenges, the new coalition must take measures that help the population and bring confidence to politics.

The Neos were uncompromising at the beginning of the negotiations, which made negotiations even more difficult. This political dynamic could affect future cooperation between the parties and have a lasting impact on the trust of voters. The FPÖ, on the other hand, will continue to try to negatively present the current measures of the government, which could also burden the political mood.

The coming weeks will be crucial for the new Viennese coalition and its ability to form a stable and effective government team that has grown to the challenges of time. This process could also have an impact on the national level, where the NEOS and possible polarization between the political camps can be observed.

For more information about the current political situation in Austria and Vienna, visit the reports of Tagesschau .