Kickl as Chancellor? Warning from Ludwig

Ludwig is known to be no great fan of Kickl. In several newspaper interviews over the weekend, he emphatically warned against him. He quoted the former ÖVP Federal Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, who had suggested Kickl's dismissal to the Federal President on the grounds that he posed "a security risk". Ludwig does not see any personnel debates within his own party.

Ludwig does not expect lengthy government negotiations

The Vienna Mayor was affected by the ÖVP's about-face, as he told "Standard" and "oe24.tv": "But there is a certain script that has already been shown in federal states: fierce election campaigns, hard substantive disputes, personal conflicts between ÖVP and FPÖ. And after a lap of honour with the SPÖ, the ÖVP forms a coalition with the FPÖ." Ludwig assumes that there had already been talks between the FPÖ and - at least parts of - the ÖVP, which is why he does not expect lengthy government negotiations. His party leader sees it the same way: "Blue-Black was long prepared in the background," Babler told "Heute". The FPÖ is a far-right party in many respects, Ludwig is convinced. "After all, Herbert Kickl himself has claimed this, he wears it like a badge of honour," said the Vienna SPÖ leader in "Heute".

He regretted that the ÖVP had ultimately left the negotiating table. He did not blame Andreas Babler, unlike the ÖVP and the NEOS. Ludwig stands 100 percent behind the party leader, as he "always stands behind the person who holds the party chairmanship." However, he would have liked the third National Council President Doris Bures to have been "more involved in the negotiations," he told "Presse". In general, the representatives of the strong Vienna SPÖ had been well represented in the various subgroups.

Ludwig now sees Austria "at a crossroads". As he announced in a Facebook post on Saturday, he would like to resume negotiations: "The SPÖ is of course ready at any time to immediately resume negotiations with ÖVP and Neos to form a federal government that is socially just, economically competitive and socially liberal in tackling the challenges in our country."

Kickl government with consequences for tourism?

Once again, the Vienna Mayor emphasized that the federal political dispute between his party and the NEOS does not rub off on Vienna, where they work well together in the "Progress Coalition". This works so well that he is currently not considering other coalition options. The election will show what possibilities exist in the federal capital. In principle, he assumes that it will take place as planned in the autumn, but he does not rule out an advance.

The mayor does not believe that Red Vienna could be disadvantaged by Blue-Black: "Vienna is an economic engine and net payer. Every federal government is well advised to establish a good understanding with Vienna. That's what I expect." However, Ludwig fears that a federal government led by Herbert Kickl could harm tourism.

(APA/Red)

This article has been automatically translated, read the original article here.