Austria’s centrist parties have struck a deal to form a coalition government, staving off the prospect of a government led by the far right and the possibility of a snap election in the central European country.
The centre-right People’s party (?VP), the centre-left Social Democratic party (SP?), and the liberal Neos said in a statement on Thursday they had agreed on a programme for a coalition. ?VP leader Christian Stocker is expected to become chancellor.
The agreement comes after coalition talks between the far-right Freedom party (FP?), which came first in parliamentary elections last year, and the ?VP collapsed earlier in February over differences on Russia, the EU and control over intelligence operations.