In 2016 he founded his own party, the Salzburg Citizens' Community (SBG), with the intention of running in the 2018 state election.

They subsequently founded the Free Party Salzburg (FPS), which was joined by five of the FPÖ's six Landtag deputies.

For parties to receive any representation in the Landtag, they must either win at least one seat in a constituency directly, or clear a 5 percent state-wide electoral threshold.

On 2 May, the state ÖVP executive voted to begin negotiate with the Greens and NEOS for a governing coalition.

Haslauer described this arrangement as "a political alliance of the centre"; however, ÖVP federal Chancellor Sebastian Kurz advocated a coalition with the FPÖ.

It was dubbed the "Dirndl coalition", after a traditional dress which is coloured similarly to the parties involved (black, green, and pink).