The new Austrian government's lineup: Details on the distribution of ministerial portfolios among the parties.
After a preliminary agreement between the three parties forming the new ruling coalition (ÖVP, SPÖ, Neos), leaks reveal the outlines of the upcoming government, which will include 13 ministries. Christian Stöckl (ÖVP) is expected to take over as the new chancellor, succeeding Alexander Schallenberg, who is leaving the government after six years.
Distribution of ministerial portfolios: Austrian People's Party (ÖVP): It will retain the two main portfolios of security, the Ministry of the Interior (Gerhard Karner) and Defense (Claudia Tanner), in addition to the Ministry of Agriculture (Norbert Totschnig) and the Ministry of Economy, which will be assigned to Wolfgang Hattmannsdorfer, with the possibility of adding digital files to it. Claudia Blackolm will also be promoted to the position of Minister for Family and Youth Affairs.
The Social Democratic Party (SPÖ): It will receive five ministries, most notably the Ministry of Finance, which may go either to Alexander Wrabetz (the former president of ORF) or Silvia Angelo from ÖBB. The party leader, Andreas Babler, will serve as Deputy Chancellor with responsibilities including sports, culture, and the arts. Eva-Maria Holzleitner will take on the Ministry of Women's Affairs and Media, while Sven Hergovich will head the Ministry of Transport. The Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs will be assigned to Korinna Schumann, despite controversy over her lack of experience in the private sector. The Neos Party: It will make significant gains by securing two prominent ministries, namely Education and Foreign Affairs. The party leader, Beate Meinl-Reisinger, will take on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, becoming the first Foreign Minister from the Neos Party, while Christoph Wiederkehr is expected to lead the Ministry of Education, continuing as a prominent candidate for the Neos Party in the upcoming Vienna elections.
Expected challenges: Forming this government has not been easy, as there are still disagreements over some positions, such as the Ministry of Justice, where President Alexander Van der Bellen prefers to appoint an independent figure like law professor Michael Enzinger. As the final vote on the government agreement approaches on March 2, political circles are awaiting the official approval of this formation, amid expectations of significant shifts in Austrian politics under this unconventional three-party coalition.