Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer to step down amid coalition talks collapse

Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer announced his resignation as both Chancellor and leader of the conservative Austrian People’s Party (ÖVP). The decision follows the collapse of coalition negotiations to form a government without the far-right Freedom Party (FPÖ).

“Over the coming days, I will step down as Chancellor and leader of the Austrian People’s Party, ensuring an orderly transition period,” Nehammer said in a post on social media platform X.

The announcement comes after attempts to form a three-party coalition government with the liberal Neos party and the Social Democrats (SPÖ) failed. Nehammer stated that key issues between the parties could not be resolved despite exhaustive efforts.

The Freedom Party, which secured victory in September’s elections, remains at the center of Austria’s political landscape. Talks initially involved Neos, ÖVP, and SPÖ working to exclude the far-right party from power, but negotiations unraveled as Neos left the discussions, leaving the remaining two parties unable to reach an agreement.