Austria’s Sebastian Kurz agrees on coalition government with Greens

Leader’s last coalition with far-right party fell apart amid scandal

Leader of Austrian People's Party (OVP), Sebastian Kurz (L) and Leader of the Austrian Green Party, Werner Kogler (R) during a press statement after coalition negotiations for a new Austrian government in Vienna, Austria EPAShow less

The leader of Austria’s centre-right People’s Party, Sebastian Kurz, has announced that he will go into coalition with the country’s Green Party.

Mr Kurz, 33, agreed the to the new power-sharing deal on Wednesday night, Austrian media reported.

The deal between the People's Party (OVP), Austria’s dominant political force, and the Green Party, which secured major gains in last year’s elections, finalises his return to power as the country’s chancellor.

Mr Kurz began talks with the Greens straight after the country’s November elections and his victory at the polls. The two parties have a combined 97 members in Austria's 183-seat Parliament.

The new deal marks a distinct swing to the political left for Mr Kurz, who was able to walk away from his previous coalition partner, the far-right anti-immigrant Freedom Party (FPO), after they suffered significant losses at the polls.

The two governed Austria in coalition for 17 months until May, when the government became mired in scandal.

Mr Kurz suffered a vote of no-confidence in Parliament after the emergence of video tapes that showed then-Freedom Party leader Heinz-Christian Strache offering favours to a purported Russian investor, prompting the chancellor to resign.

Mr Kurz and Wernler Kogler confirmed in their coalition announcement that they had managed to make sure neither party would renege on their key election promises, Austrian newspaper Die Presse reported.

There are still a few hurdles to overcome before the government is finalised, but these are seen as mostly procedural.

If the Green Party’s federal body gives its approval, the new government will be sworn in next week.