In Austria, Sebastian Kurz is once again facing being voted out of office as head of government.

According to statements by leading Green politicians, the “turquoise-green” coalition led by Kurz's Christian Democratic ÖVP only has a future without him as Federal Chancellor.

In view of the advertising affair, the Greens no longer see the Chancellor's ability to act as fully given - a condition that Vice Chancellor and party chairman Werner Kogler had previously described as a prerequisite for government work.

So far, the ÖVP does not want to let its chairman "shoot out".

Stephan Löwenstein

Political correspondent based in Vienna.

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The advertising affair is about the suspicion that Kurz had been helped in his rise to ÖVP boss and Federal Chancellor since 2016 through unfair cooperation deals between the ÖVP-run finance ministry and a tabloid with the help of controlled opinion polls.

On Thursday, the public prosecutor had raided the Federal Chancellery, the Ministry of Finance and the ÖVP headquarters on charges of breach of trust, bribery and corruption.

The opposition from the social democratic SPÖ, liberal Neos and right-wing FPÖ is calling for Kurz to resign.

Otherwise they want to overthrow him on Tuesday by means of a vote of no confidence.

To do this, however, they need the help of at least six members of the Greens.

The hour of the Federal President

In view of the seriousness of the allegations and the expressions of displeasure by several Green MPs, the Green leadership was already on Thursday on the line that it would go no further with Kurz as Chancellor. On Friday the Greens made a commitment: “The ÖVP is called upon to find an impeccable person who can carry out this office,” said club chairwoman (parliamentary group leader) Sigrid Maurer. Kogler spoke of "very serious, serious allegations", which endangered the Federal Chancellor's ability to act and officiate. That is why he now wants to explore other options with the other parliamentary parties.

Unlike in Germany, in Austria a simple majority is enough to express mistrust in the head of government, individual ministers or the entire government. If that happens, the Federal President has the strings in hand, in this case the former Green Chairman Alexander Van der Bellen. He can appoint a new chancellor and cabinet. Because the ministers also need Parliament's confidence, he would do well to make sure of that beforehand.

In 2019, as a result of the Ibiza affair, the FPÖ ministers left the then government under Kurz.

Van der Bellen appointed a successor, but parliament subsequently overthrew the entire government with a vote of no confidence.

Van der Bellen will want to avoid having to appoint and dismiss ministers again within a week.

He therefore held talks on Thursday and Friday with the chairmen of the Greens, ÖVP, SPÖ, Neos and FPÖ parties represented in the National Council.

Karoline Edtstadler could follow Kurz

If the Greens stick with the fact that Kurz is no longer sustainable, there are several options.

Either the ÖVP appoints another head of government.

The incumbent ÖVP ministers had ruled that out on Thursday, and the party branches also stood behind their chairman.

Should Kurz nevertheless resign to ensure that the ÖVP remains in government, another member of the government could move to the top.

European Minister Karoline Edtstadler is considered to be distinguished and at the same time not quite as closely associated with Kurz as others;

however, she rejected such ambitions.

Or the ÖVP would nominate someone from the old, "black" ranks, such as the Salzburg Governor Wilfried Haslauer.

A majority against the ÖVP would only be possible if the FPÖ participated.

The other forces have reservations against the right-wing party, especially since chairman Herbert Kickl recently adopted a line of strict rejection of corona measures and mandatory vaccinations.

For the SPÖ, however, the prospect of bringing its chairwoman Pamela Rendi-Wagner to the Chancellery would be tempting.

Speculation that the FPÖ could be available as a majority funder without being involved itself, Kickl rejected on Friday.

You will only participate at "eye level".

Van der Bellen could also, in agreement with the parliamentary groups, appoint an “expert government” like in 2019, possibly combined with early elections.

Kickl was also skeptical of this model.

But it would be possible with the support of the ÖVP.