Austrian president empowers Gusenbauer to form new government

Austrian President Heinz Fischer on Wednesday empowered Alfred Gusenbauer, head of the Social Democratic Party of Austria (SPOe), to form a new government.

During a meeting here at the presidential office, Fischer requested Gusenbauer to build a stable government with majority support from the National Council, in order to maintain Austria's economic competitiveness, advance progress in education and technology, and promote social equity.

The SPOe has decided to initiate big coalition talks with the People's Party of Austria (OeVP) over the coming days, and the OeVP has built a nine-member team for the negotiations, which are expected to begin on Thursday or Friday.

However, remarkable differences exist between the two parties at present.

During the course of the election, the SPOe claimed to abolish the "Eurofighter" jet purchase contract, while the OeVP insisted on going ahead with it.

Wolfgang Schuessel, the current Austrian chancellor from the OeVP, on Monday asked the SPOe at a press conference to regard the OeVP as an "equal negotiating partner," and hold the negotiations on the basis of this equality.

The local media believed that the talks between the two parties would be very difficult, and had a rather pessimistic perspective.

According to the latest figures provided by the Austrian Interior Ministry on Monday, the SPOe won 35.34 percent in the National Council election held on Oct. 1, against the OeVP's 34.33 percent.

The Greens became the third party in the National Council with 11.05 percent, just 0.01 points ahead of the Freedom Party of Austria (FPOe). Another co-ruling party, the Alliance for the Future of Austria (BZOe), ended with 4.11 percent, just above the 4-percent threshold needed to enter the National Council.

The Austrian National Council, based on a three-phase electoral system of proportional representation, has 183 seats. In the new Council elected on Oct. 1, the SPOe has 68 seats, the OeVP 66, the Greens Party and the FPOe both 21, and BZOe seven.

Source: Xinhua