The difficult process of forming a government in Austria

Four weeks after its elections, Austria still has no new government. The negotiations for a grand coalition between the SPÖ and the ÖVP have broken down. However, according to Norbert Mappes-Niediek there's no need to panic. "The squabbling in the coalition negotiations should be taken about as seriously a staged murder at Vienna's Burgtheater. All the participants are firm realists, and the allegedly so sensitive election loser Wolfgang Schüssel (ÖVP) is more aware of what his defeat four weeks ago entails than anyone else in his situation could be. The conservative ÖVP is making a big fuss and acting offended because it wants to make the best of its unfortunate position as a junior partner to the Social Democrats. In the end they'll get their act together – but all involved will be left with the feeling that they have witnessed a great tragedy. It goes without saying that all the moves in this poker game of forming a government are of a purely tactical nature – and in this respect quite elegant."

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