Austria's ÖVP and SPÖ Begin New Coalition Talks After Prior Failures

The conservative and social democratic parties aim to form a government following months of political gridlock and economic challenges.

The Austrian People's Party (ÖVP) and Social Democratic Party (SPÖ) have reopened coalition negotiations after previous attempts failed.
The talks follow the collapse of coalition efforts between the far-right Freedom Party (FPÖ) and ÖVP last week, which ended over disputes including ministerial roles.
Austria has been without a new government for over four months since the September 2024 election, with ongoing economic issues intensifying the urgency for resolution.
The SPÖ and ÖVP hold a slim parliamentary majority, but external support from smaller parties like the Greens or Neos may be needed on specific issues.
Speculation suggests a potential agreement before the National Council sessions on February 26 and 27, though no official timeline has been confirmed.