Austria has voted — Did politicians understand the message?
by ESW
Austrians are in for interesting political times: General elections this past Sunday changed Austria’s political landscape with a pull to the right.
The Social Democrats lost votes, and the Conservatives lost even more. Both can no longer be considered “forces” in the political spectrum; they are, at best, mediocre in size (29% and 25%, respectively). The Green Party has withered into irrelevance. On Sunday, party leader Alexander Van der Bellen proudly announced that he considers the Greens the last Gallic village in Austria with regard to upholding human rights (he was alluding to Asterix, the famous comic series).
The winners on this historic day were, however, the FPÖ (Freedom Party) and BZÖ (Haider’s “new” party), which together make up the right-wing parties. Heinz-Christian Strache was able to increase the number of his voters from 11% to 18%, while Haider tripled his support to 11%. And while the center-left parties pretended to be stunned, political commentators and many others were not surprised: the parties’ success had been looming for the last couple of weeks. Polls were in complete agreement about the outcome. Together FPÖ and BZÖ gathered nearly 30% of the votes.
Sunday, September 28, 2008, was probably one of the hardest days in Wilhelm Molterer’s life. In July, he called for new elections with the now famous words, “Ladies and gentlemen: Enough is enough!” He and his party were hoping to win the elections in order to regain the post of prime minister, lost after the 2006 elections.
The conservative party’s election campaign focused on budget problems, security issues, and family issues (such as additional payments to families). However, the Socialist Party, though lagging behind in early polls, was able to attract many voters by introducing a new party leader. Molterer, on the other hand, appeared “old” and “used”. He is not the glossy type; he felt most comfortable in the second row, behind Wolfgang Schüssel, the ÖVP prime minister from 2000-2006.
The Socialists scored by opening monetary floodgates, distributing money to everyone, without explaining to the taxpayer how to pay for these additional payments (to the pensioners, to families). In addition, university tuition was scrapped, leaving universities with a massive budgetary hole. Thrilled about saving 370 euros per semester, most university students thus voted Socialist.
After ÖVP’s massive losses on Sunday, the party was quick to get rid of Molterer and install a new party leader. On Monday, Josef Pröll, minister of agriculture and long considered party crown prince, was named the new party leader. Since Pröll favors a grand coalition, this decision can be interpreted as a signal to the Socialist party: more of the same, another grand coalition, a form of government so despised by many Austrians. Socialist party leader Werner Faymann has said all along that he favors another grand coalition. What he neglects to mention is his inability to form any other coalition as he has repeatedly ruled out every form of government with either FPÖ or BZÖ.
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Socialist doctrine rules out any form of cooperation, even contact, with the two parties on the right. While this decision cannot be considered democratic, it is supported by the party. Michael Häupl, the mayor of Vienna, even went so far as to rail to the gathered crowd of SPÖ supporters in the part tent: “Those right-wing populists! Those idiots! They are s**t!” He added that in 1938 Jews evoked fear and hatred, nowadays it is all foreigners (who are feared and hated). He intentionally compared FPÖ and BZÖ with the Nazis. “Starting tomorrow, we will fight the right wing populism and neo-fascism! Never again! Never again!” The crowd also chanted, “Never again!” (Die Presse)
Commentators in the foreign press were in agreement about the increase of BZÖ and FPÖ votes: A radical, rather disgusting move to the right “happened” to Austria, away from a moderate middle to hatred of foreigners and pseudo-patriotism. The newspaper Kurier analyzes the fact that not every FPÖ and BZÖ voter is a right-wing xenophobe.
One of the strongest motives to vote for one of the two parties was indeed to protest against the coalition parties, ÖVP and SPÖ, coupled with the hope that their vote will bring with it a wind of change. According to one pollster, Strache’s statements on immigration were not a determining factor to vote for FPÖ. A prominent political scientist adds that one should not consider these voters neo-Nazis or right-wing nationalists.
More men than women voted for FPÖ. Sixteen-year-olds — who were allowed to cast their vote for the first time — mainly voted for Strache. Fear (about the economic situation) was another prominent reason for voting for FPÖ and BZÖ.
The article concludes by dispelling the assumption that FPÖ takes a stance against all foreigners: this is too simple, especially in view of the fact that many non-Muslim immigrants — especially Serbs — voted for Strache.
One single mother talks about her fear of living in her apartment complex (note: these huge apartment buildings are built and financed by the city of Vienna and its residents traditionally vote socialist. Rent is usually very affordable. Until recently, these apartments could only be rented by Austrians; the Socialist government in Vienna, amid heavy criticism, decided to “open” these apartment buildings to immigrants as well. Since then, FPÖ has been able to garner strong support among residents.) She says she can no longer allow her son to play outside because she is afraid. “We live in strict separation between Austrians and foreigners. When I sit down on a bench with foreigners, they get up and leave.”
It is interesting to look at voter motivation, as it seems that young voters are aware of the most pressing problems in Austria (Muslim immigration and the EU).
Voters under 30:
| FPÖ: | 33% | |
| ÖVP: | 20% | |
| SPÖ: | 14% | |
| Greens: | 14% | |
| BZÖ: | 10% |
EU-critics voted for FPÖ and SPÖ. The latter’s decision to call for EU referenda in the future was a very controversial one, and not only heavily criticized, but also rejected by ÖVP.
The European Union — always the guarantor of democratic rights as demonstrated in 2000, when ÖVP formed a coalition government with FPÖ — has already signaled its fear of a “Vienna virus”, as in EU skepticism. Austria is no longer considered a reliable partner. EU MEPs are threatening the possibility of imposing sanctions, as occurred in 2000, if the parties do decide on a new center-right coalition government. However, members of the EU commission deny this. One spokesman added, “We have no comment on the election results.” France, who had initiated the sanctions against Austria in 2000, also has no comments. Even French newspapers are strangely silent, only reporting on the results, without analysis. No comment either from the foreign ministry or the ministry for European affairs.
The one country that did have something to say was Israel. Igal Palmor, spokesperson of the Israeli foreign ministry: “We do not have a comment on the results of the Austrian elections. However, we do note the rise of xenophobic elements promoting hate as well as Holocaust deniers. We are very concerned.”
What concerns me most is another grand coalition. This is the worst possible scenario. This form of coalition government is extremely unpopular among Austrians as it divides Austria in two halves: red and black. Every decision, every appointment is made according to this division. If, for instance, Austrian Airlines needs a new board of directors, the political affiliations of the appointees are put in the foreground. Two directors are conservative, two directors are socialist. This is sickening and wrong. In addition, the economic wing in the ÖVP is in strong favor of a grand coalition, especially in view of Austria’s EU membership.
If there another coalition between ÖVP and SPÖ I can almost guarantee major losses for ÖVP in the next elections, no matter when they are called. However, I do not know what is better for ÖVP: Parliamentary opposition or a coalition with FPÖ and BZÖ. What I do know is that I am completely and utterly against any cooperation with SPÖ. It would be disastrous for Austria.
I would also like to add that I completely reject the insinuation that all Austrians are Nazis. It simply is not true. First, there are, like in many other countries, such as the United States, those very few who might appreciate a revival of National Socialist doctrine. But seriously, does anyone really think that this could happen again, either in the U.S. or in Europe? Is it not enough for 99.99% of Austrians to completely reject this doctrine?
What else must an Austrian do so he is not called names every day? Should we not worry more about the continued and sustained Islamization of Europe? Or the introduction of sharia?
Second, it is much easier to label someone a Nazi without even considering the fact that Nazis were National SOCIALISTS, i.e. found on the far left of the political spectrum. If anything, FPÖ and BZÖ voters are national(istic), wanting their home country to remain theirs. And what is wrong with that?
And thirdly, I find it appalling that seemingly the entire world (save the Muslim one, of course) believes Austria is a Nazi country where once you get off the plane, you have storm troopers waiting for you to haul you off to a concentration camp and swastikas dangling in the wind. And please do not tell me this is the Austrians’ fault because they voted for FPÖ and BZÖ. Educate yourself in Austrian political parties, and you will quickly see the lack of real choice if you oppose mass (Muslim) immigration and Islamization.
At the end of his terrible day, Molterer said: “It is very hard to tell the truth in Austria.”
I can’t help but agree with him.
34 comments:
It always amazes me how ANY right-wing party is automatically fascists and neo-Nazis regardless of what their platform is. And even if the time is taken to read their platform they will be accused of lying or having the potential to easily become Nazis.
Yet any socialist party is never accused of being Communists or having the potential to become hardcore Marxists or Stalinists. The blindness or downright denial of the left is astounding. Try and find a liberal in the US who will admit the New York Times is a leftist rag. Never gonna happen.
The Nazi meme is already present on this side of the pond
Perhaps this was cleared up earlier in another post, but details like the following are are troubling.
Posted in the comments of an earlier thread:
auto-translated text of the Austrian Freedom party's position concerning Islam and the Islamic world
PDF for original Austrian page
Strache "has aligned his party with the Iranian regime from Jerusalem Post
How exactly do parties which ally with muslim Iran and muslim Palestinians while demonizing Jewish Israel benefit the counter-jihad movement?
It is obvious that the nation that gave us Adolf Hitler and Heinrich Himmler still loves them.
I hope Israel (and the USA) break diplomatic relations with Austria if they are included.
I would also hope, however, they do the same when those European nations who denounce Austria include Communists in THEIR governments. Communists should be equated with Nazis and subject to the same scorn and rejection.
Instead, thanks to Gramsci, they've taken over Europe.
They talk about Europe and the EU a lot. Plenty of mentions of "european foreign policy", very little mention of national policy. FPÖ's manifesto just doesn't read like anything remotely right-wing to me, though it does mention banning minarets and the like. It's not enough. They don't see Islam as a political ideology, just as a religion.
Iran an important economic partner? Get real...
"How exactly do parties which ally with muslim Iran and muslim Palestinians while demonizing Jewish Israel benefit the counter-jihad movement?"
Because these two parties are solid on the most important single issue facing every Western country: they oppose the Islamic immigration invasion and conquest of the West. I don't know enough about the FPO and BZO to know if it is entirely true, but they do seem to be somewhat anti-American and anti-Israeli, unlike the Vlaams Belang for example. This is troubling, but in the end inconsequential, because THEY OPPOSE MUSLIM IMMIGRATION.
There are other issues of course, the economy, the war, and European integration, but these are matters of the here-and-now that can be altered in the future. Muslim immigration, on the other hand, is forever. It is changing, and will continue to radically change Austria and every other Western nation for the worse. Over the coming decades and centuries it will inexorably convert Europe into a Muslim continent if it is not stopped completely and permanently. In the long run, all other issues seem trivial compared to the overarching one of a certain Islamic future if immigration is not halted.
Let's suppose for a minute that the Greens weren't just doctrinaire leftists, but actual environmentalists. Logically then, they would oppose immigration because more people means more pollution, more carbon emissions, and more global warming. Now I personally think that global warming is one of the biggest lies ever foisted upon humanity, ranking up there with "Islam = peace". But if they were willing to stop (Muslim) immigration, then I would suspend disbelief in the rest of their platform and happily support them in every way I could.
Islamization is an entirely a self-inflicted wound. We in the West are in a deep hole of our own making, yet we keep on digging. Muslim immigration must be stopped ASAP and at least partially reversed if our Greco-Roman, Judeo-Christian civilization is to survive. I will support ANY political party that promises to stop digging.
". . .they do seem to be somewhat anti-American and anti-Israeli . . . This is troubling, but in the end inconsequential"
Wow, just wow.
Once Iran sinks Israel into the abyss with the blessing & potential assistance of Austrian industry - do you really think Austria will remain out of the hegemonic cross-hairs of Islam?
"do you really think Austria will remain out of the hegemonic cross-hairs of Islam?"
Only if they can muster the will to stop Muslim immigration. The Islamic threat to Austria and the West isn't from Third World crapholes like Iran or Pakistan, but from the Muslim immigrants we've so foolishly allowed into our societies, and continue to allow in in record numbers. That's why counterjihadists should support anti-immigration parties like the FPO and BZO. Otherwise al-Austria, and the rest of us, are doomed.
Spackle:
I share your frustration.
Ever tried to explain to a leftist that Nazism is acronym for National Socialist. It can't be done Instead, you just get the "What are you, some kind of nazi lunatic?" stare.
Austria turns to the right, while Americans are turning to the left in droves. I only wish the Americans would look across the ocean to see what damage socialists can do without firing a shot.
It looks like people are being excessively strict with Austria because of WWII. No one is talking about suspending diplomatic relations with Russia, even though they are helping Iran with its nuclear program. If Israel can have diplomatic relations with the PLO, they can surely tolerate Austria. The Israelis should be more upset by their own horrible choice (Livni) than with Strache.
Zerosumgame: You're not here because you think Europe is doomed, you're here because you WANT it to be doomed. You're evil.
Jeppo: I strongly disagree. Any sensible person should support Israel's fight against Jihad. Those who don't show very poor judgment, or worse.
I notice that nobody is commenting on the new ability of 16 year olds to vote. Not only does that skew the electorate even more left (cue Churchill) to offset the increasing influence of the right-wing parties, but guess which Austrian sub-population will benefit the most from letting its 16 year olds vote? That's right, Muslims, a fact the authors of this change to Austrian voting law were surely aware of when they made it.
Only if they can muster the will to stop Muslim immigration.
Not enough. The biggest problem we face now are not immigrants but people who already live in our countries. On top of which, FPÖ are not identifying the real problem - they're not identifying the fact that Islam is in essence evil and destructive. They say it's an abrahamic faith! Benign! Their ambivalence to the truth about Islam, the EU and the United States/Israel just reveals that they're tugging the populist heart-strings without any intention of actually following up.
In the broad scope people who I would consider allies may not be all "America, f*ck yeah!" or cheerleading for Israel at every turn, but neither would they be continually harping about UN resolutions or the "plight" of the poor oppressed palestinians with their concentration camp supermarkets and regular firework displays over Sderot. The ideal parties would want fundamental reform of the EU or its dismemberment. They would oppose Immigration. They would support repatriation of immigrants refusing the assimilate, instant deportation for immigrants who commit crimes and a complete restriction on immigration until the problems we have are solved, one way or another. Ideally they would be pro-free-market and minimal government but I think we can squabble about that afterwards.
First and foremost they need to officially recognise the threat that Islam itself poses and not hide behind weasel words of "all faiths equal" and "common threads of belief" as so many people seem to do.
Trying to use faux support for anti-immigration policies whilst harping about "european foreign policy" just demonstrates that this party simply doesn't care.
The really significant thing about this election isn't the party platform, which isn't what we want, of course, but the fact that so many Austrians responded to the idea of Austria for Austrians. They weren't intimidated by people who judge them as fascists. Even if the new government itself is crap (or not, who knows), the people have spoken. In the U.S. and elsewhere in Europe, elections don't look like this.
To me, this election is great news. When the people are disappointed in the government, they'll still have the experience of winning, with respect to a real issue. They can use this confidence to create a better party (that we like better). Future Austrian and maybe other European parties will realize, if they want to win, they'll have to say, France for the French, Germany for the Germans, etc. So this is a great victory for real democracy. I think the Austrians will throw the Iran govt. under the bus soon, no one wants allies who murder gays and innocent young women.
Oh, and it's very important that other western governments express support and not this hysterical attempt to control and censor what the Austrians have chosen. If other governments (Israel or others) threaten to end diplomatic relations, that will cause the Austrians to get defensive and become even more attached to the parts of the party platform that they may very well abandon on their own, if others mind their own business for a while.
I concur with Latté Island, in particular on one aspect:
Resistance to the EU made it to the polls. This is a first, and the Eurocrats will have a really hard time figuring what to make of this. They can't bribe Austria back into liking EU, they can't press them to hold new elections or change their government. They're sortof stuck.
Now I'm hoping for the EU-critical majority (!) in the new parliament to do something that will put an end to Lisbon.
BTW, forming a minority government just might be an option. We have a lot of experience with this in Denmark. It's the parliament that passes laws anyway, and the government that puts them into practice. In my opinion, minority governments are good for democracy, as parliament retains more power.
Fjordman,
I strongly support Israel's fight against jihad. But the litmus test for a political party should be their willingness to stop Muslim immigration, not their economic, social or foreign policies. Anyway, do we know for a fact that these two parties are anti-Israeli and pro-Palestinian? I really have no idea if this is true.
As for FPÖ, their official program (I checked it) strongly emphasizes the Christian roots of Europe, and aknowledges the Jewish heritage in those.
I believe the reluctant stand on Israel is more a question of lax interest in the field, possibly combined with the deeply rooted Austrian policy of neutrality. This policy in particular is not easily changed.
Interestingly, the position of 'neutrality' may give Austria extra punch in addressing the issues with Israel and the Palestinians, because they'll be percieved as less prejudiced than, say, USA.
Why is this aggressive tendency to implicate Israel in every European electoral results or event?
The Scandinavian, British etc. Leftist/Marxist government actions are far more detrimental to Israel security than Austria, Le Pen, Vlaams Belang etc. combined.
Austrian voters had no Israel on their mind when they casted their votes for the Right: Israel's existence occupies no central stage on the Austrian political landscape.
Also, the love for Iran is initiated by the previous Socialist Gov. just like the burqua donning Swiss Socialist minister-woman who sucked up to Ahmadin.
It's getting too heavy this constant harping and nagging at the role of the Right wing parties as if they were the sole enemies of Israel...
Anyone who is following the news in the Israel newspapers should see that it's not Haider but the Israel government which is engaging in the dismantling of their country with the silent consent of the population. The British and Norwegian government are financing most Palestinian terrorists, not Austria.
Haven't you realized yet that the new Antisemitism is the product of the Marxist left, including the self-loathing Jews:
It was the Leftist Jew, Toni Judt who said:
"The creation of Israel was a mistake".
Richard Cohen, (Leftist Jew)at Washington Post:
"The greatest mistake Israel could make at the moment is to forget that Israel itself is a mistake. "
Come on guys, stop this Austria bashing stuff....
I'd be happy if FPÖ dropped the Israel-bashing and simply remained neutral on the subject. They aren't, though. They take an unreasonably critical line, adopting the talking points of the left against Israel, and their tacit acceptance of Islam as a benign thing in and of itself worries me.
Drop that and I doubt there'd be much to complain about.
This isn't Austria bashing. It's outlining ideal positions. The fact that they're anti-immigration is a huge step forward but their manifesto implies that their anti-immigration stance is based on expedience rather than a firmly held belief in the right of a nation ti control its borders. Their continual reference to the EU marks them as a prounion party in essence, and it is going to be hard to maintain both that pro-union stance and an anti-immigration stance when the EU is behind much of the immigration problem.
Oops, forgot my closing arguments.
My prediction is that the FPÖ will turn soft left once in power. They'll quietly shelve the anti-immigration parts of their manifesto simply because, being pro-union, they can't maintain them. The EU has exclusive control over immigration policy which means that any national government is incapable of altering that policy whilst it remains within the framework of the EU as a whole.
I'm fully aware that we need to work with what's presented to us. There is common ground in immigration retriction but until there's an acknowledgement of the two elephants in the room - Islamic supremacism and the EU - it will be very hard to see any tangible benefit from this election beyond fact that we now know the Austrian people are becoming aware of the immigration problem.
They say it's an abrahamic faith! Benign!
....
weasel words of "all faiths equal" and "common threads of belief"
Muslim propagandists have done their job well, haven't they?
The EU has exclusive control over immigration policy which means that any national government is incapable of altering that policy whilst it remains within the framework of the EU as a whole.
What would the EU do if they left? Nothing, the EU has no power to enforce its dictates. That's why the EU is seeking to transfer part of all of its member state's military assets to EU control.
What would the EU do if they left?
Physically they can do very little. Economically they can deny Austria access to the european markets with a blizzard of paperwork that EU members don't have to fill in. It's a very effective means of control, especially for land-locked countries that can't transport their goods except via the EU.
The problem, though, is that the debate is being framed in such a way that leving the EU simply isn't even raised as an issue. Everyone pretends that the EU is simply there and inevitable.
Fjordman:
Zerosumgame: You're not here because you think Europe is doomed, you're here because you WANT it to be doomed.
I DO think it is doomed. And let's just say, that as a Jew, I think it deserves it. What say you Fojrdman? One holocaust by the Europeans and now they are helping Iran to a second one. Why shouldn't I want it?
You're evil.
No I'm not. Europe is. And always has been. And always will be.
Zerosum.
"One holocaust by the Europeans" - ?????
Ehmm, it looks like our exiled gov in London had a powerful lobby in Berlin at the same time...
It is like the slur that "Europeans colonized Africa"...could someone please remove the Czechs, Latvians, Slovenians etc (each time some idiot utters this) from this sentence?
If not send us some money
belatedly so that we can feel for one day properly "colonizors"...
Czechmade, with very few exceptions(such as the Serbs and Danes) Europian nations had a hand in the Holocaust, particualry Austria.
As for the British lets not forget the British Navy sending ships of refugees attempting to escape to Eretz Yisrael back to the death camps.
And the response from Little Green Turds -
I think what we're seeing is an eruption of bigotry and xenophobia, the human species' most enduring flaws.
They are not flaws you moron, they are survival traits.
It seems to be a common narrative today that Europe as a whole is responsible for the holocaust. Pamela Geller says it, too. Never mind the millions of Europeans who died fighting Nazi Germany. The guilt of Germany somehow became the guilt of Germany's non-Jewish victims.
I have a question to my fellow Europeans: Why don't you fight back against such outrageous slander against your nations? Do you think it is better to remain silent about it? Or do you even agree with the accusation and willingly accept your nation's guilt for the holocaust? What is it that I am missing here?
Dogmatism fatigue, I guess. After a while it becomes too wearing to try and explain the differences. Most of these people say "europe" when they really mean "england germany france", which they seem top perceive in some way as a single country. Try explaining that we're different places with different cultures and you can almost imagine the glazed look they get, the sort of face someone puts on when they don't want to understand you. They're totally in bed with the idea that every european is a secret jew-hating nazi who just can't wait to go out and kill a jew. They don't seem to appreciate that the scum rises to the top in an occupation - that the occupiers seek out those who will collaborate with them and who agree with their ideas. They think europeans of all nationalities were bashing down the gates of the reichstag demanding the right to kill jews when the truth is, most people were against it and fought it.
But you just can't convince someone who doesn't want to be convinced no matter how much you argue. So, generally, I've given up trying.
@Kahaneloyalist, if we're going to play that game lets remember that the US and Canada also turned away Jewish refugee ships.
On top of everything, I refuse to bear guilt for something that a bunch of dead people may or may not have supported. My grandmother was a young woman when these things happened.
I'm skeptical of a resurgent Austrian right. Any Western revival will have to have a metaphysical star to guide it. My bet is that this one is more Fascist New-Right Neo-Pagan and Nazi rather than agrarian Royalist and Christian.
I lived in Vienna for a while. The only occasion when the political right caught my attention was when they donned their brown shirts and shiny boots to commemorate the Anschluss in front of the Hofburg. I don't recall any similar events to honor the memory of Dollfuss.
I'm not saying that this is by any means the whole picture. I'd just be cautious about putting too much gloss on and hope in the situation.
Pasta, I fight back. Czechoslovakia was a transit route for the Jews from Austria and Germany. Some of them came without papers. There was zero agitation in Czechoslovakia against the Jews. My piano teacher married a Jewish doctor and saved his life. Nothing unusual at that time.
@ heroyalwhyness: That paper, "Wir und Islam" is a discussion paper, written by Andreas Mölzer, European Parliament member for the FPÖ and not quite a friend of Jörg Haider.
But whatever the status of the paper, he does write in it: "This Islamization of Europe and the advance of radical Islam in Europe must be stopped."
Ursula Plassnik (from the ÖVP because they promised her a job) in the Jeruzalem Post article, said recently: "the international community (including her) is interested in 'working constructively together with Iran. I understand Israël being a little nervous about Austria.
Interesting maybe is that Jörg Haider said about Heinz-Christian Strache that if he, Haider, had run a campaign like Strache did, "the press would have been all over him!"
Haider also said that "the SPÖ (Socialists) does not want to counter the creeping Islamization and the advance of Islam in Europe. While many of the SPÖ electorate are very critical towards the Islam," and accused the Socialists of treason because of this.
@ randian: I did notice the Socialist 16y-vote-trick. Half a century ago it was around 30 or so in Europe. When people payed taxes, had a family and some real experience in life.
I think that Socialist populist way of engineering democracy will undermine it, but Socialists wouldn't shed a tear then. Good to read that Austrian students aren't as thoroughly indoctrinated by Internazi teachers-brigades as in the North-West corner of Europe!
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