Austrian centrist parties reach deal to form government without far right

<p>Christian Stocker, the ÖVP leader, says ‘common programme’ has been agreed with SPÖ and Neos</p><p></p><p>Five months after the far-right Freedom party (FPÖ) finished first in parliamentary elections, Austria’s three leading centrist parties have reached agreement to form a new government without it.</p><p>The centre-right People’s party (ÖVP), the Social Democrats (SPÖ) and the liberal Neos, whose <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jan/04/coalition-talks-between-austrias-two-biggest-centrist-parties-collapse">first attempt at forming a coalition failed in January</a>, unveiled a 200-page programme aimed mainly at reviving the country’s ailing economy and cutting its budget deficit.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/feb/27/austria-centrist-parties-deal-form-government-without-far-right">Continue reading...</a>