With punch donuts and suspenders: SPÖ and NEOS presented Pakt in Vienna – Wien Aktuell

The SPÖ and NEOS presented their coalition agreement, which has now been approved by all party committees, at Vienna City Hall on Tuesday evening. “This program is worth watching,” said the mayor and head of the SPÖ, Michael Ludwig, who presented the pact together with the designated deputy mayor and the education councilor, the NEOS state spokesman Christoph Wiederkehr. A mega punch krapferl and red and pink suspenders were available as color-matching newcomers.

At the press conference, the two party leaders once again referred to a series of issues that had already been made known beforehand. When asked about the most difficult pitfalls, both assured that they had hardly given anything like that. “In terms of content, we often meet quickly,” Ludwig said. The biggest challenge was actually securing the budget for the projects, especially during the crown crisis and associated revenue drops.

Wiederkehr praised the “eye-level negotiations” and also referred to the crisis. The financial scope was very narrow: “I am glad that we are launching many joint projects.”

However, at least one point also shows differences of opinion with the red-rose, as before with the red-green, that is, with the Lobau tunnel. Ludwig described the northeast turnoff as “important to the city.” Anyway, politicians have little room for maneuver here, the matter is with the courts or with Asfinag. Wiederkehr admitted, however, that NEOS considers a tunnel to be “ecologically and economically insensitive”. He sees the last word with the Minister of the Environment, Leonore Gewessler (Greens).

The reduction of traffic in the city center was also addressed, which should arrive in 2022. Wiederkehr could not withstand a blow to the Greens: “Calm traffic also means a better quality of life, you just have to do it right.” The mayor, in turn, said, probably also referring to the former coalition partner, that when it comes to climate protection, one wants to turn the big screws, and not the media.

In the end, Ludwig and Wiederkehr expressed their joy at the future cooperation with mutual gifts. The town chief had a huge pink punch donut with a red mug on a serving cart, a dessert served at the first red-rose exploratory talk. The Neoeducation councilor corresponded to the recognized user of suspenders Ludwig with a red and pink model, “for special moments”, as Wiederkehr pointed out.

The new government of the City Council will take office next Tuesday. Then the constituent meeting of the municipal council takes place.

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