Austria’s conservative leader Sebastian Kurz is set to become chancellor again after his People’s Party (ÖVP) entered into an unlikely coalition with the environmentalist Greens.
The 33-year-old leader commended an “excellent” agreement at a press conference with Greens party chief Werner Kogler, but said that talks had not been easy because the “two parties are very very different”.
Kogler, who will become the country’s vice-chancellor, said the parties had successfully “built bridges” for “the future of Austria”.
Kurz’s former coalition with the far-right Freedom Party fell apart earlier this year after German newspapers released footage showing vice-chancellor Heinz-Christian Strache offering public contracts to a Russian campaign backer.
Freedom Party ministers resigned in mass before Kurz was eventually ousted by a no-confidence vote.
But in September’s snap parliamentary elections, Kurz and his party came first, winning 37.5% of the vote.
The election also resulted in the Greens increasing their support significantly, coming fourth in the election, with 13.9% of the vote.
Kurz announced in November that his party had entered into talks with the Greens.
The new coalition will now have to be approved by the Greens’ party congress.