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The situation: Inside Austria: Three adventurous scenarios for Austria

2022-06-28T12:08:31.199Z


In Austria, the rumor mill is churning: It's about new investigations into the ÖVP, a shaky chancellor before the elections in Tyrol and the ominous "Project Alpen-Macron".


Several rumors, some of them adventurous, are currently circulating in hot summer Vienna, which would be serious if they turned out to be true - an overview of the heated debates from the domestic political backstage area.

1. The Alpen-Macron project

Everyone allegedly involved denies any ambition, but that doesn't stop speculation: A group of active and grumpy Social Democrats and other political figures is said to be working on a movement that will run in the upcoming elections.

They should pursue the idea of ​​bringing about a “progressive turnaround” – in other words, specifically: an expanded traffic light coalition similar to that in Germany.

Enlarge image

Red former chancellor Christian Kern

Photo:

FRANCOIS LENOIR/ REUTERS

The reason for the grief of some red party leftists is the fear that the SPÖ leadership could enter into a coalition with the ailing People's Party after the coming elections instead of agreeing to a new constellation.

If a left-wing group were to take away votes from the SPÖ, so the speculation goes, the Social Democrats would be dependent on the split-off group in order to be able to form a government.

The new party could thus force the SPÖ into a traffic light coalition, is the thesis, which is probably contestable.

The rumor was fueled by a survey by the Institute for Public Opinion and Data Analysis (IFDD), according to which almost half of the electorate longs for a new party.

Among other things, they were asked who would enjoy popularity as a presidential candidate.

The former Red Chancellor Christian Kern, who has since been traded as part of a new party, achieved high values.

He himself denies it.

Some in the SPÖ have long been maliciously jokingly calling the alleged project "Project Alpen-Macron".

All this is still nothing more than whispering.

However, there is obviously potential for a new political group.

But none of the rumored party founders officially want to have concrete plans.

On the other hand, the Red governor Hans Peter Doskozil from Burgenland is publicly pushing for a “government beyond the ÖVP”.

From his point of view, the SPÖ's top candidate for the upcoming election has not yet been finally clarified.

Party leader Pamela Rendi-Wagner, on the other hand, sees herself as set.

2. New politically relevant investigations

On October 6, 2021, the Austrian judiciary made political history.

House searches were carried out in the Federal Chancellery, in the Ministry of Finance, in the ÖVP party headquarters, in the publishing house of the free newspaper "Austria" and in several private rooms.

What then became known as the “advertising affair” cost the then Chancellor Sebastian Kurz his political career.

At that time, weeks before the house search, rumors were circulating in Vienna that the public prosecutor was planning far-reaching investigative steps against the People's Party.

Enlarge image

Ex-Chancellor Sebastian Kurz

Photo: Joe Klamar/AFP

There are currently rumors again: The Office of the Public Prosecutor for Economic Affairs and Corruption (WKStA) is working on a new, politically relevant line of investigation.

There are loose signs of this, but the rumor is currently being spread primarily by political opponents of the ÖVP.

The SPÖ is hoping for early new elections due to red high flights in polls.

3. New elections

Even among the Greens, many are now skeptical as to whether their own coalition with the People's Party will last until 2024.

A first fear factor is the election in the state of Tyrol, which is scheduled to take place at the end of September.

If the ÖVP were to collapse massively there, which some polls are currently announcing, it could trigger a domino effect and bring down Chancellor Nehammer, according to the fears of some green strategists.

And the black-green government will probably not survive another new chancellor, according to the green side.

In addition, investigations are underway against numerous active and former ÖVP politicians, the Court of Auditors doubts the turquoise campaign cost accounting from 2019, new affairs are constantly emerging - there is also great uncertainty in the People's Party, given the question of how things will continue.

At the beginning of next year there are other state elections that are important for the ÖVP, which is fueling the nervousness.

In any case, only a little cooling off in the political scene is to be expected in the summer – regardless of which speculations come true and which do not.

Social media moment of the week

It wasn't just Berlin's mayor who fell for a fake Vitali Klitschko - Vienna's city manager Michael Ludwig also fell for fraudsters.

Since then, numerous memes of the Mayor of Vienna have been circulating on social media.

An Austrian satirical site also took up the cause.

Stories we recommend you today:

  • What the German Greens have over the Austrian Greens:

    They occupy key ministries and fight the energy crisis at the forefront.

    But while the local Greens are losing favor with voters, their German counterparts are celebrated stars.

    Why is that? 

  • Ludwig and the fake Klitschko:

    Vienna's mayor Ludwig has been taken in by a fake Kiev mayor.

    It's embarrassing, but nobody wants to talk about a security crisis.

    How could it come to this? 

Kind regards from Vienna,


your Katharina Mittelstaedt, dep.

Head of Department for Domestic Policy and Chronicle of DER STANDARD

And once again a note on our own behalf: You can order this briefing as a newsletter to your e-mail inbox here.

Source: spiegel

All news articles on 2022-06-28

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