Today we are dealing with rumors about a replacement of Chancellor Karl Nehammer, with the fear of his ÖVP before elections - and with the death of the doctor Lisa-Maria Kellermayr, who was threatened by opponents of vaccination.
In the past few days, Karl Nehammer wanted to set priorities that should have an effect in the next few weeks of summer: First the Austrian Chancellor received Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orbán in Vienna to chat about migration, then he organized an extended summit on energy supply in his palace at the beginning of the week at Ballhausplatz, he also invited the opposition.
Migration and crisis management - that sounded good, that fitted perfectly with the profile of the hitherto rather hapless Chancellor Nehammer and his ailing people's party, the ÖVP.
But the implementation of the planned topic did not go so well: The right-wing nationalist Viktor Orbán used the press conference in the Vienna Chancellery to rumble in front of the assembled press against the EU sanctions against Vladimir Putin's regime: He just presented Europe, to Vladimir Putin's criminal war of aggression however, he did not lose a syllable.
Nehammer's own staging had slipped away.
And before the summit on energy supply began, DER STANDARD and then two tabloids reported that ÖVP grandees were planning Nehammer's transfer - the staging for the next big meeting in the Chancellery was over.
In the ÖVP, such reports are hastily dismissed as rumours.
Both Nehammer and his possible successor, Finance Minister Magnus Brunner, remarkably use the same wording when speaking of a "summer slump debate".
In fact, more and more conservatives (and also representatives of the Green coalition partner) are doubting behind the scenes whether Nehammer is the right head of the Austrian government.
"If you want to exchange it, then you should do it quickly and professionally, and not the salami method," says an experienced Green to SPIEGEL and STANDARD.
Brute minus in polls
In the state of Tyrol, where a new state parliament will be elected in September, the conservatives are becoming particularly fidgety: polls are forecasting a massive drop of up to 15 percentage points.
In nationwide polls, the right-wing FPÖ has caught up with the ÖVP.
And in Lower Austria, which for the ÖVP as the home country has a comparable historical importance as North Rhine-Westphalia used to have for the German Social Democrats, the situation is similar.
If the Christian Socialists lose drastically in the ballot box at the beginning of 2023, then Nehammer's days should finally be numbered.
It would be the third chancellor change since the last election - whether the Green coalition partner would go along with it is an open question.
But the time has not yet come.
Nehammer wobbles, but only a little.
Because openly no party friend wants to demand his departure, after all, the ÖVP boss was only elected in mid-May with the best result of 100 percent.
The party is now doing its utmost to refute the impression of a lack of support for Nehammer.
Secretary General Laura Sachslehner vigorously contradicts reports that the chancellor will not appear in the Tyrolean state election campaign: The conservatives there have made it clear that appearances with Nehammer are of course planned.
"Of course, Karl Nehammer will get involved in the state election campaign," Sachslehner explained when asked by SPIEGEL and STANDARD.
The Chancellor has so far remained silent about the suicide of the Upper Austrian doctor Lisa-Maria Kellermayr, who was massively threatened by opponents of vaccination.
That may seem surprising, after all, even international media such as the Washington Post reported on the case, and Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen even drove to the dead woman's practice and held prayers.
It is probably a sign of anxiety that neither the Chancellor nor his party colleague and Minister of the Interior Gerhard Karner have commented on the death of the well-known doctor.
The interior minister is said to be on vacation, a journalist from the Kleine Zeitung tweeted.
The reason for the silence seems to be different: one obviously does not want to incur the anger of militant opponents of vaccination.
Social Media Moment of the Week:
Memorial events for Kellermayr were held at several locations in Austria on Monday.
Thousands of people gathered in Vienna and remembered the 36-year-old vaccinator with a sea of light, even the bells of St. Stephen's Cathedral rang in her honor.
Stories we recommend you today:
Protective measures no longer apply: Corona infected people in Austria are allowed to work
Corruption process: Strache acquitted "in case of doubt".
Secret recording of an FPÖ conversation: "Da samma fallen from all clouds"
Podcast Inside Austria: Are the armed forces and armed forces prepared for emergencies?
Dubious "partner magazine" of the Ministry of the Interior: advertisements and anti-American theses
Podcast on the Kellermayr case: When rights rush and authorities look the other way
Have a happy and safe week-end!
Warm regards from Vienna
Oliver Das Gupta
And once again a note on our own behalf: You can order this briefing as a newsletter to your e-mail inbox here.
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