Austrian coalition government faces crisis over EU law endorsement by the Green minister
"Ain't no one exempt from the law's grasp," was the gist of the announcement. Climate conservation, without a doubt, is "relevant," but the constitution applies even to climate activists. OVP General Secretary Christian Stocker declared not only a legal battle before the EU Court of Justice against Gewessler, but also an allegation of misconduct.
The Green politico Gewessler had backed the environmental ministers and ministers of the European Union concerning the contentious Restoration Law for the Environment. She acted against Federal Chancellor Nehammer's wishes. With the Law, the EU aims to rectify environmental harm in member states.
The Chancellery declared that the EU Court of Justice's decision must now be waited upon. "We anticipate that the EU Court of Justice will make a prompt decision," the Chancellery declared, adding that the national implementation of the law "doesn't necessitate haste." Previously, the Chancellery had already described Gewessler's decision as "unconstitutional."
With just three months till the parliamentary elections, the Austrian administration, made up of OVP and Greens, finds itself in a crisis. The wrangle over the Restoration Law has been keeping the coalition busy for a while. The law compels EU countries to restore at least 20% of damaged areas and marine areas by 2030 and all threatened ecosystems by 2050. The agreement on this was already reached with the representatives of the European Parliament in November. Particularly, agriculture views the law unfavorably.
The final approval of the 27 EU countries to this agreement was expected to be a mere formality. However, the situation in the Council of Member States was still hanging by a thread: Italy, Finland, the Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, and Hungary opposed the law according to diplomatic sources. Belgium abstained. The necessary qualified majority of at least 15 member states and at least 65% of the EU population was only accomplished with Austria's approval.
Gewessler had announced her support for the law on Sunday. "I'm aware that I'll face opposition in Austria," she said in Brussels. "I'm convinced that it's now time to pass this law," the Climate Action Minister added. She let the threatened lawsuit from the Chancellery in Vienna before the vote pass unchallenged. In her view, there's no legal ground for it.
The coalition crisis over the law is the largest disagreement of opinion since the government formation in 2020. The question now is whether the coalition will survive till the election in September.
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- Despite the ongoing coalition crisis over the EU law endorsement, Minister Leonore Gewessler from Alliance 90/The Greens remains convinced that it's time to pass the Renaturation Act.
- The Government crisis in Austria, led by the ÖVP and Greens, is centered around Gewessler's support for the EU law, which faces legal challenge from the Chancellery.
- Following Gewessler's announcement to support the EU's Renaturation Act, several EU countries, including Italy, Finland, and Hungary, have expressed opposition, complicating the coalition's consensus.
- The Austrian Government, led by Federal Chancellor Karl Nehammer, is currently engaging in a legal battle before the EU Court of Justice (ECJ) over Gewessler's support for the controversial Act.
- In a bid to gain the approval of the 27 EU countries for the Act, Gewessler faced opposition in Austria, but pressured on by EU law, she proceeded to provide her consent, despite the Chancellery's threatened lawsuit.
- The ongoing Government crisis in Austria has raised questions about the coalition's survival until the parliamentary elections scheduled for September, as the ÖVP and Greens grapple with conflicting positions on the Renaturation Act.
- The ÖVP General Secretary, Christian Stocker, has accused Gewessler of misconduct dopo her endorsement of the Renaturation Act, further intensifying the coalition crisis and underlining the divided stance between the two political allies.
