VIENNA, Jan 2 — Austria's Sebastian Kurz said yesterday that his conservatives and the Greens had got an “excellent result” in difficult negotiations to form a coalition government.
“We have succeeded to unite the best of both worlds,” said Kurz, whose People's Party (OeVP) gained most votes in snap elections in September.
“It is possible to protect the climate and borders,” he said.
Besides the OeVP, the Greens also made big gains in the election, bringing the two parties together in unlikely negotiations after Kurz's previous alliance with the far-right fell apart as a result of a corruption scandal.
Greens leader Werner Kogler said the two parties had had to “build bridges” to form a government for “the future of Austria.”
He added that the Alpine country — which has seen its greenhouse gas emissions continue to increase between 1990 and 2017 — would aim to become a frontrunner in terms of fighting climate change in Europe.
The two leaders indicated they would reform the tax system to lower the burden on Austrians — a key OeVP promise — but at the same time introduce higher eco taxes in line with the Greens' campaign.
Kogler said transparency, including freedom of information, and fighting poverty among children, the elderly and women would also be a priority.
The two leaders will present their detailed government programme today.
In the September polls, the OeVP managed to get 37.5 per cent in total, up from their 2017 result, which saw Kurz become the world's youngest elected leader at age 31.
The Greens secured 13.9 percent of the vote, their best-ever result, as the environment replaced immigration as the nation's top concern.
Kurz's former partner, the far-right Freedom Party (FPOe), was humbled at the polls after May's “Ibiza-gate” graft scandal brought down the coalition. — AFP
