By Francois Murphy VIENNA (Reuters) -Members of Austria's liberal Neos party on Sunday voted overwhelmingly in favour of a coalition deal with the conservative People's Party (OVP) and Social Democrats (SPO),

Three parties say they have reached a deal to form a new centrist Austrian government, five months after an election was won by a far-right party that later failed in an attempt to form an administration.

Austria's President Alexander Van der Bellen swears in head of People's Party (OeVP) Christian Stocker as the new Chancellor during the swearing-in ceremony of a new government at Hofburg Palace in Vienna, Austria, March 3, 2025. REUTERS/Leonhard Foeger

Austria's conservative People's Party (OVP) and Social Democrats (SPO) said on Friday they had widened their talks aimed at forming a coalition government to include the small, liberal Neos party so as to have a solid majority in parliament.

VIENNA - Austrian parties that plan to form a coalition government excluding the far right announced their future ministers on Friday, among them the first left-wing finance minister in 25 years, before a key vote to seal the deal on Sunday.

Austria's Social Democratic Party chairman Andreas Babler speaks at a press conference in Vienna, Austria, Feb. 27, 2025. The Austrian People's Party, the Social Democratic Party and the NEOS party have agreed to form a coalition government without the far-right Freedom Party, it is reported Thursday. (Photo by Georges Schneider/Xinhua)

The new government is due to be sworn in on Monday, ending the longest wait for one since World War Two. The far-right Freedom Party, which came first in September's parliamentary election with around 29% of the vote, failed to form a government last month after a centrist effort collapsed.