Austria's
New Government Sets Goal to Be Carbon Neutral by 2040
Deutsche WelleJan. 03, 2020 09:49AM
ESTPOLITICS
Sebastian
Kurz, former chancellor of Austria and leader of Austria's People's party
(OeVP) and Member of the National Council of Austria Werner Kogler hold a joint
press conference in Vienna, Austria on Jan. 2, 2020. Askin Kiyagan / Anadolu
Agency via Getty Images
After weeks
of negotiations, Sebastian Kurz, the leader of the conservative Austrian People's
Party (ÖVP), and Greens head Werner Kogler presented their coalition deal on
Thursday.
Although
the Greens managed to secure major policies to combat climate change, Kurz also
pushed through his hardline immigration policies — which might not sit well
with Greens supporters.
What's in
the coalition deal?
The Greens
will head four ministries, including taking on the environment and justice
portfolios.
Kurz's
party will hold onto the rest of the ministries, including the interior,
defense and finance ministries.
Austria
will seek to be carbon neutral by 2040, and put a price on CO2 emissions.
By 2030,
all of Austria's electricity is to be produced by renewable energy sources.
Flying will
become more expensive in a bid to make taking the train more attractive.
Despite the
tax cuts, the coalition also plans no new debt.
There will
be a "new immigration strategy," including reviving controversial
plans for preventative custody for asylum-seekers deemed potentially dangerous.
The
agreement includes plans to expand a headscarf ban for girls to include those
under 14-years-old.
'The Best
of Both Worlds'
Kurz hailed
the deal as a good compromise that would allow both parties to deliver on their
core campaign promises.
"We
deliberately brought together the best of both worlds, and so it is possible
both for the Greens to keep their central election promises and for us,"
Kurz said at the joint press conference.
Kogler said
that the plans would make Austria a "role model" in Europe for
climate protection and represents the "reconciliation of ecology and
economy."
He admitted
that the more hardline immigration policies, and particularly the headscarf
ban, are likely to come as a surprise for supporters of the multicultural
Greens.
"This
is very unusual," Kogler said in response to a question about the Greens
signing off on plans for a headscarf ban. He defended the preventative custody
plans, however, saying that it would only be used in isolated cases.
Germany
Watching Closely
The
coalition is a first for Austria and being watched very closely in Germany. The
union between Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives and the center-left
Social Democrats has been strained after numerous electoral losses in 2019.
The Greens
have been rising in opinion polls, with support currently sitting at 21%,
making them a more attractive potential coalition partner for Merkel's
conservatives should the current governing coalition collapse.
German
Greens co-leader Robert Habeck welcomed the coalition in Austria, but said that
it doesn't necessarily mean that it would translate well to Germany's political
scene.
He said
that his party and the conservatives in Germany "differ greatly in key
policy areas."
Historic
Coalition After Scandal
The new
coalition comes after a coalition between Kurz's ÖvP and the far-right Freedom
Party (FPÖ) collapsed last May over a corruption scandal, triggering elections
in September.
The
so-called "Ibiza-gate" scandal involved former vice chancellor and
ex-FPÖ head Heinz-Christian Strache, who was seen in a video offering favors to
a fake Russian investor.
What
happens next: The deal still needs to be approved at a Greens party congress on
Saturday, although the deal is expected to be approved. That puts Kurz back on
track to become prime minister and resume his title as the world's youngest
leader.
Reposted
with permission from DW.
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