New government: question of space in pink Vienna

At the presentation of the historical pact between the Reds and Liberals in Vienna, of course, there was no noticeable imbalance in power politics: Negotiations were “on an equal footing”, as SPÖ Mayor Michael Ludwig and Vice-designated Christoph Wiederkehr (NEOS) emphasized in unison. The fact that the powerful Viennese social democracy has 46 mandates and the neo-partner eight is the factual peculiarity of the “progressive coalition”.

However, a few areas will fall to NEOS – and especially these should be given a pink signature if possible: Wiederkehr, as city council, will be responsible for the business group Education, Youth, Integration and Transparency. But in view of the coalition program, Franz Schellhorn, head of the economically liberal think tank Agenda Austria, sees no liberal content. The SPÖ has prevailed on all lines, he says in the ORF.at interview.

“NEOS was too cheap”

NEOS did not get through a single core demand: It was clear that a small partner would not be able to prevail, “but that not a single one of these key points, which NEOS has always criticized in the opposition, now appears in the government program, is a bit surprising,” said Schellhorn. “NEOS wanted to get into the city government at all costs – also to become more visible, but that is too high a price to be paid here.”

The words “liberalization” and “deregulation” would “not occur once, but every second or third page promotes whatever it takes”, said the Agenda Austria boss. “The public money goes out through all the holes that can only be found, I would not have expected that from NEOS.” Because the initial situation has generated hope, it is now “a disappointment for many”. In addition, “the cheering from the left cannot be overheard,” said Schellhorn. That should “make NEOS think that it was given too cheaply”.

“No more word of exterminator philosophy”

NEOS is a “mini partner” and that’s exactly how the program is organized, says strategy consultant Nina Hoppe. “It just doesn’t work that liberal flowers suddenly sprout,” said Hoppe in an interview with ORF.at. On the question of whether NEOS was able to enforce core demands, she agrees with Schellhorn: NEOS has always criticized the social economy and chamber economy – but nothing more can be found in the program. “No more word of any exterminator philosophy,” said Hoppe.

But the communications strategist sees a fundamental problem facing the young coalition: There is a problem in the “hinterland”, for example at the district level, where they are hardly represented. A team also has to be built up in the town hall, and Wiederkehr needs “people so that he can get his topics through”. You have to quickly bring in “people of trust and speakers, because the people who sit in the town hall are SPÖ supporters”. If that doesn’t succeed, the initial euphoria can quickly evaporate.

Young age “no advantage”

NEOS has “a beautiful flower, but the tree trunk is not very deeply rooted,” says Hoppe. In this context, she also sees the return young age (he is 30) “not necessarily an advantage”. The expert fears that he cannot fall back on long-serving colleagues “who explain structures, dynamics and pitfalls to him”. Admittedly, this can be achieved with sufficient traction, “but it can also fail grandly”.

In any case, one particular mistake should not happen, as political scientist Kathrin Stainer-Hämmerle makes clear to ORF.at: “A small party should not break apart on all topics”, but should focus fully on a few topics. Wiederkehr managed to get the education department: “Now he has to look for his flagship project,” said Stainer-Hämmerle. But here, too, dangers lurked, because especially when it comes to education, one can quickly “reach limits” because federal competence.

Schellhorn and Hoppe also see this possibly limited scope at the state level. That is why the SPÖ is “not very unhappy that NEOS wanted the (education) department so badly,” said Schellhorn. Nevertheless, the educational topic is the only one where NEOS can distinguish itself, believes the Agenda Austria boss. Hoppe also speaks of a “difficult department” due to the multiple federal competencies, and the area of ​​integration – also administered by NEOS – falls into this category.

SPÖ could let NEOS do “many kilometers”

When it comes to transparency – also on the NEOS agenda – the coalition agreement has at least red concessions: lowering the election campaign ceiling, more transparency in funding and more control rights for the municipal council and the city audit office in the area of ​​party finances. These are currently not allowed to be scrutinized by the Court of Auditors. But is there real political will to implement it?

Stainer-Hämmerle is skeptical: “It will be difficult because the SPÖ has no interest in it.” It could well be that the SPÖ will let its coalition partner “make many kilometers” and then “let it run into nothing”. That could cause frustration at NEOS. The communications consultant Hoppe sees it similarly: “Ludwig has already said that you want to wait and see what comes from the federal government.”

If nothing happens there, it could be that nothing can be done for NEOS in this area during this legislative period. Ludwig could always refer to the federal government. In this case, however, Stainer-Hämmerle does not see any dire consequences on the part of their electorate for NEOS – even though it is a core issue: “It may not even harm them”, the Greens also have the federal government’s no to admission by refugees from the Greek camp Moria.

NEOS as “fresh green”

Speaking of the Greens: They will “be quite disappointed at all”, believes Schellhorn again, because the SPÖ and NEOS coalition program now reads like the deal between the SPÖ and the Greens before it. NEOS wanted to look like “the fresh greens”. Schellhorn speculated that NEOS could also reposition itself, so it seems that they have positioned themselves very strongly to the left of center. “Perhaps you have seen that you cannot and do not want to score with the economically liberal,” said Schellhorn.

For SPÖ signal inside

Meanwhile, Hoppe sees the new partner as an opportunity for the SPÖ to move out of its own structures, it is an “important signal inwards”. Furthermore, the pragmatist and “old hand” Ludwig “this naively optimistic” of Wiederkehr is good, says Stainer-Hämmerle. The “old-fashioned SPÖ Vienna would be well complemented”, and Ludwig himself saw that the times when Vienna and the SPÖ were one are over.

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