The smallest partner of a prospective three-party coalition, the liberal Neos party, decided not to continue the discussions to form a new government.
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00:00Talks to form a new government in Austria collapsed after the smallest of the prospective
00:06partners, the liberal Neos party, pulled out of negotiations.
00:11Neos, alongside Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer's Austrian People's Party and the centre-left
00:16Social Democrats, had been trying to forge a three-party ruling coalition after Austria's
00:22far-right Freedom Party won national elections in September.
00:25Neos' party leader said it had not been possible to agree on fundamental reforms.
00:30And you know that it is especially now about the budgetary issues, but of course also
00:36about the question of investments in the future.
00:40Unfortunately, not only no progress has been made, unfortunately not only more progress
00:44in the direction of a common vision, a common picture, but actually steps have been taken.
00:50Talks had dragged on after all other parties refused to work with Freedom Party leader
01:00Herbert Kickl, forcing them to find a coalition agreement with smaller majorities.