SPÖ and ÖVP agreed on Friday to continue working together in the Carinthian state government. This was announced by Governor Peter Kaiser (SPÖ) and ÖVP boss Martin Gruber after the last round of talks between the negotiating teams. There is a unanimous decision by the negotiating teams to “form a joint coalition for the 33rd legislative period, we fixed that today,” Kaiser told journalists.
The composition of the state government with five seats for the SPÖ and two seats for the ÖVP remains the same, but Gruber, previously state councilor, is promoted to second deputy governor. Not too much will change in the distribution of presentations. Kaiser named the departments that remain with the SPÖ – including finance, education, health and social affairs. Agreement had been reached for certain areas, said Kaiser, and named the human resources area, among other things.
Negotiations lasted two weeks
“The coalition for the next five years is in place,” said Gruber. This is good news, among other things, for the people in the country and for the business location. The departmental responsibilities for energy, regional planning, energy promotion, broadband expansion and economic development migrated to the ÖVP, said Gruber. The red and black party committees were summoned for 4 p.m. They still have to approve the agreement.
The coalition negotiations between SPÖ and ÖVP have been going on for two weeks. It will be the third joint coalition in a row at the Carinthian state level. The Greens were also there from 2013 to 2018. For Governor Kaiser it is about the third term. The government program is to be presented and signed next week. At least in the case of the SPÖ, personnel decisions should not be made until next week. An swearing-in ceremony for the new state government, like that of the new state parliament, is planned for April 13th.