Austrian politics in disarray as far-right FPO quits coalition
FPO leader Heinz-Christian Strache apparently offered to fix state contracts; a snap election is expected in September
Vienna — The far-right Freedom Party (FPO) quit Austria’s coalition government on Tuesday after the president sided with Chancellor Sebastian Kurz and sacked the hard-line FPO interior minister, paving the way for a caretaker government. Kurz’s own fate remains uncertain, however, as the FPO has threatened to respond by backing a no-confidence motion in parliament. Losing that would hurt Kurz as he seeks to emerge statesmanlike from the scandal-tainted collapse of his government. A snap election is expected to be held in September. Kurz set about filling the vacant FPO ministers’ posts with technocrats, but it remains to be seen if that will be enough to satisfy opposition law makers. The leader of the Social Democrats, the second biggest party in parliament, said that if technocrats are brought in, it should be for all cabinet posts. “All those I have spoken to emphasise that they want to ensure Austria’s stability in the coming transitional period, and the unanimity on this point ...
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