Austria's Kurz confident of coalition deal with Greens in January

FILE PHOTO: Head of Austria's Green Party Werner Kogler (right) and Head of People's Party (OVP) Sebastian Kurz (left) deliver a statement as they start their negotiations for a coalition government in Vienna, Austria November 12, 2019. REUTERS/Lisi Niesner/File Photo

VIENNA (Reuters) - Austrian conservative leader Sebastian Kurz said he was confident of striking a coalition deal with the left-wing Greens in January, more than three months after an election in which his People's Party came first but fell short of a majority.

Kurz's People's Party (OVP) won 37.5% of the vote in the Sept. 29 election, meaning they require a coalition partner to command a majority in the lower house.