For over 100 days Austrians have been incapable to elect a government. Negotiations are presently underway, led by the Freedom organization Austria FPÖ, widely regarded as far right and openly pro-Russian.
Maciej Słomiński, Interia: In preparation for our conversation, I found the word “Rotes Wien” – “Red Vienna”. Since 1945, the capital of Austria has been governed by the Social Democratic organization SPÖ, while parliamentary elections have been won by the utmost right-wing Freedom organization of Austria FPÖ and it has now been given the mission of creating a government. How is that possible?
Łukasz Ogrodnik, PISM analyst for the Visegrad Group and Austria: – Red Vienna is simply a word from after planet War I. Historically, the left had power there, the mayor is besides SPÖ politician, and the capital is not necessarily valid in the context of a nationwide political puzzle. Austria is simply a diverse country, a country that changes.
– It's a federation, just like Germany divided into lands. Last weekend, the Burgenlad Land elections were held, which is the easternmost in Austria, on the border with Hungary. Social democracy prevailed, which was no surprise, due to the fact that for years this organization has ruled there. It is simply a socialist bastion, as is Vienna. It is interesting erstwhile we look closer, even in the "red bastion" we see an increase in the importance of right-wing parties, including the utmost FPÖ.
Negotiations on the creation of the Austrian Government have been underway for over 100 days. Not working yet.
– On 29 September last year elections were held to the lower home of Parliament – the National Council. evidence Europe The Belgians, who erstwhile formed the government for 541 days, hold it. This consequence is not at hazard for the time being, while the political Austrian modes are exceptionally slow.
The current FPÖ negotiations are a second approach.
– First, the concept of the covenant of 3 parties failed. The government was to be established on the basis of the "exotic tercet" – 3 very different parties negotiated: social democracy under the leadership of Andreas Babler, who erstwhile referred to himself as a Marxist, alongside him a Conservative Karl Nehammer, erstwhile Chancellor of the Austrian People's organization (ÖVP) and for additional Liberals from the NEOS Party.
I'm not besides shocked it didn't work out.
– Chapeau bass, that they tried and over the 3 months closed further negotiating chapters. It seems that they were yet divided by taxes, especially donations and inheritances.
FPÖ won the election, winning over 28 percent of the vote, failed to environment it with a sanitary cordon.
– Two-party negotiations with Conservatives are presently underway with ÖVP (co-ordinates Austria since 1987) and FPÖ. Circumstances have changed, ÖVP already has another leader, the erstwhile Chancellor Nehammer resigned, not agreeing to talks with far-right populists. The creation of a government by FPÖ will not be a shock on the level that would have occurred if, for example, the German AfD had come to power. FPÖ, it's an utmost right-wing party, which nobody denies, but it was already in the government at the land level and even twice on the national national level.
The FPÖ actually ruled, but not as the main group.
– Yeah, that's the fundamental difference. The celebrated Jörg Haider was Vice Chancellor in the government of Wolfgang Schüssel in 2000. Later in 2017-2019, comparatively recently, the Chancellor was Sebastian Kurz, and the Vice Chancellor of the Freedom organization was Heinz-Christian Strache. Both coalitions fell apart, both governments failed to scope the end of their word of office.
What is the phase of government negotiations now? Will FPÖ and ÖVP get along?
– The conclusion of the coalition of these 2 parties is the most likely script at present. It seemed that the erstwhile negotiations with the 3 parties we talked about were going to a happy end. There were press conferences of organization leaders, at which they informed about further obstacles that were overcome, and yet efforts were blown away.
– Since that happened, president Alexander Van der Bellen has entrusted the task of forming the government to Herbert Kickl of FPÖ. There are reefs in the current negotiations. It's defence policy and abroad policy, these obstacles can derail the talks. On tax, economical and migration policy issues, it will be easier for possible coalitions to deal more easy than in the erstwhile circular involving 3 groups.
By Different Classifications Vienna is the best city to live in Europe, has attracted many people from different cultures for years, including dozens from the erstwhile Yugoslavia. I inactive can't realize how Austrians could vote for a change organization like FPÖ.
– There's no 1 answer. Certainly, as in any countries European Union, there is any disappointment with conventional parties, or social democracy and chadeism. The clarity of election winners in migration policy is besides shared.
“Austria has been 1 of the most widely chosen targets for the migration of EU countries for years. Although the number of asylum applications has decreased in fresh years, restrictive migration policies are selling well. On the another hand, the Freedom organization does not have this burden of freshness like AfD in Germany, since FPÖ has been on the phase for decades. It is simply a clear organization that has had its problems over the years. Like after the Ibiza scandal erstwhile her erstwhile leader's records leaked.
What are those recordings?
– In 2017, the leadership of FPÖ, specifically 2 leaders of the party, played on the Spanish island of Ibiza. 1 investor claimed to be the niece of Russian oligarchy and made proposals to aid in the upcoming parliamentary elections in exchange for offering her intrepid government contracts. erstwhile this – as it turned out – media provocation came to light, the coalition was dissolved in 2019, the fall of Conservative government Sebastian Kurz and the polling of FPÖ.
– The pro-Russian sympathies of the politicians of the far right were clearly confirmed. What we saw earlier in the symbolic dimension, erstwhile at Karin Kneissl's wedding, the erstwhile abroad Minister of FPÖ, danced himself Vladimir Putin. This organization has been feeding the claims for years that it is simply a pro-Russian group.
Frau Kneissl was formally not a associate of the party.
– As a substance of fact, it is Herbert Kickl, the leader of this organization who does not avoid the pro-Russian communicative at all, speaking of peace to the east. He speaks of Ukraine, which should not be supported, about Russiawho is not the enemy, etc.
Who is the likely future chancellor of Austria, Herbert Kickl?
– Karl Nehammer, mentioned erstwhile he was Minister of Home Affairs, said Herbert Kickl was a threat to national security. Nehammer is no longer there, at the head of the chadecy temporarily stands Christian Stocker politician more willing to talk to FPÖ. And Kickl has so far been outside the mainstream, he was considered the right wing of the far right FPÖ. He is simply a kid of Haeider and his press spokesman, and wrote speeches for him. In the erstwhile ÖVP-FPÖ government, he was, on the another hand, the Minister of the Interior, and presently presides over the winning organization in the last parliamentary election and is on a consecutive way to taking the canclerian seat.
The election referred to the creation of the "Austria fortress" – Festung Österreich. What does this mean in practice if you are surrounded by the European Union and Switzerland? I don't think a wall like a Mexican-American border can be built.
– Let us take an amendment to the fact that this is an electoral slogan that was not only about migration policy. It besides meant, among another things, an economical autary, that Austria should be a more economically independent country, and public finances should contact cuts. Austria was the country that most powerfully opposed entry Romania and Bulgaria to the Schengen area, which came actual on 1 January this year.
Austria has a constitutional neutrality and does not belong to NATO.
– This is not disputed by anyone, all major parties stress the neutrality of Austria, although everyone defines it differently. For some, mainly for FPÖ, it is to item not being active in helping Ukraine, i.e. not supporting either organization to the conflict. In fact, this could mean the withdrawal from the transit of weapons by Austria, which raises the winning FPÖ election.
– Austria, as a neutral state, does not militarily support Ukraine, but sends humanitarian aid, its local governments have been sending ambulances and fire trucks since the beginning of the war. Both parties besides disagree in their approach to the European Sky Shield Initiative concept, which is the European rocket defence. Austria, under Karl Nehammer's erstwhile rule, signaled its willingness to join this project, the freemen say that specified a policy would not be pursued. There's a phase of these 2 parties reaching us.
Austria and Germany have close links not only for language reasons. Do Germany observe what is happening in Vienna in the context of the forthcoming parliamentary elections in February? Can the success of FPÖ give wind to sail for AfD?
– In the media sphere, what happens in Austria, in Germany is on the headlines, portals, news services, it is omnipresent. The Germans look at Austria no doubt. However, these are also cases, AfD has never co-ordinated at national level in Germany, and its coalition capacity is much lower than in the case of FPÖ. There is no tradition of being rooted in national politics as there is in Austria. Of course, there are program similarities. 1 more thing – FPÖ has not yet supported Elon Muskas was the case with AfD.
It seems that Austria may have the most right-wing government in Europe. How deep is the political crack in this country? Is it that families halt talking to each another at the table?
– erstwhile Herbert Kickl got the mission to make the government and erstwhile negotiations went on, respective 1000 demonstrations were held in Vienna itself opposing coalition talks. There is simply a concern among any Austrians about what will hatch from the negotiation of the government's right with the far right. There is simply a social uproar, akin protests we know from 2017, erstwhile the composition of the government was possibly akin to today, but the distribution of forces was different – FPÖ was not the main quarterback. inactive above Danube surviving well.
Is Vienna the best place to live in Europe?
“I don’t think I know anyone who cares about surviving in Vienna, and in the planet quality of life rankings the Austrian capital has been in the top position for years. I share a affirmative attitude towards this city. possibly due to the fact that I come from Cieszyn, sometimes called “little Vienna”, that is why I find myself there architecturally and landscaped. But you don't discuss taste.
Maciej Słomiński spoke
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