Austrian Elections & Politics - Version 1.0

[Zanas]

Is this at all debated in public life or the media ? Well, I mean apart from this one poll ?

[Tender Branson]

Is this at all debated in public life or the media ? Well, I mean apart from this one poll ?

Well, it comes up as a topic here and then. Mostly for example after a big election defeat by SPÖ or ÖVP or coalition bickering.

"We just sucked so badly at the election and/or the coalition climate suxx, now we want clear majorities to avoid this in the future."

It is then debated for 3 days and then vanishes in a drawer ...

[Tender Branson]

70 years ago today, the Republic of Austria was officially re-established [Vienna was already liberated by the Soviets, while fighting in Western Austria continued. Hitler killed himself on April 30 and the Wehrmacht surrendered on May 8].

For this reason there was a ceremony today at the Hofburg incl. the whole government, with speeches from President Heinz Fischer and Joachim Gauck (President of Germany) to remember the liberation and the Holocaust victims.

[Tender Branson]

New GMK poll for the Upper Austria state election on September 27:

(right-click for big version)

[Tender Branson]

With the Styria and Burgenland state elections coming up in 4 weeks, the Styria-FPÖ has launched a pretty aggressive campaign for state election terms. Also, their campaign budget doubled from 0.5 million to 1 million € this year compared with the 2005 state election.

One poster shows an idyllic Sytrian small town and a massive picture of a guy with a gun (apparently an "Islamist terrorist"), while it turns out the guy is from a video game.

Below it reads: "Styrian asylum centers: Every week a police raid."



And:



"New apartments instead of new mosques. SPÖVP has failed !"



"STOP radical Islam. Our state. Our values. Our rules."



"We fight for YOUR security ! An end to theft, burglary and panhandling."

[Cranberry]

I'm not entirely sure if this is truly genuine (I tend towards yes however), but get a look on this youtube "song" by the FPÖ Burgenland for the elections later this month...

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=s8gw9P0Rtic 

(I'm sorry, but this song is in German, and I couldn't find any lyrics to translate them into English... It's about a FPÖ politician in the Burgenland, Ilse Benkö, who is called "the blue lady" in this clip, and what "great" stuff she has done and wants to do; all this in the hilariously worst way one can make a video... Have a look at it, even the video without the song is great entertainment)

[Tender Branson]

The Styrian Greens are out with their 6 election posters:



"Too much power is biologically deselectable" (as in "to vote down something").
"Talking about it, instead of stampeding over it."



"Smart education would not be stupid."
"We promote/boost/support education, not party books."



"Farmer looking for bio[logical products]."
"Against the power of the big agriculture companies. For Styria as bio-state #1."



"Fresh. Educated. Styrian."
"Guaranteed childcare/kindergarden spots from age 2 onwards."



"One day, we are all equal under (or on) the paycheck."
"For more equality and fair chances."



"To your place or to my place ? For 365 € per year."
"The 365 € [public transport] ticket: Good for the purse and the climate."

[Tender Branson]

Finally, Faymann is supporting a EU-wide asylum quota system (something I have argued for a while ago):

Austria wants refugee quota for each EU member to help absorb influx

(Reuters) - Austria wants a refugee quota for every country in the European Union to help absorb hundreds of migrants arriving every day by boat in southern Europe, Chancellor Werner Faymann said in a newspaper interview.

Faymann described as "totally absurd" the current system in which refugees are supposed to be taken in by the country where they first arrive. This would mean Malta, Italy and Greece would have to accommodate all the Mediterranean refugees, which they are unable to, he said.

"I want quick EU-wide rules that in future all 28 countries declare themselves willing to take in refugees on a scale linked to population. There should be a refugee quota for each country," he told "Österreich" in an interview printed on Sunday.

"This naturally applies only to refugees fleeing war and seeking political asylum. We do not want and cannot take in economic refugees," he added.

His office confirmed the quotes were accurate.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/05/03/uk-europe-migrants-austria-idUKKBN0NO08V20150503

* asylum seekers: Do you know that Austria already ranks 3rd in the EU in per capita asylum seeker numbers ? This year, 35.000 asylum seekers came to Austria (only Sweden and Malta have higher per capita numbers). Not only do all of them get adequate quarters until their asylum requests are processed, they also get 600€ a month in "basic income" (which is just 200€ below the minimum pension of an old woman for example who worked 40 years and paid into the system, which irks a lot of people here). Which means, Austria is not only doing its fair share to take in asylum seekers and refugees (contrary to other lazy countries such as France or Poland), but also giving them a good headstart and enabling them a good stay here. Did you ever hear about the catastrophic situation in some southern countries' asylum seeker quarters (such as Greece) ? Austria is paradise for asylum seekers compared with that.

[Simfan34]

What is the chance we'll ever see a FPÖVP coalition again?

[Tender Branson]

What is the chance we'll ever see a FPÖVP coalition again?

@ Tender, you never answered my question. Is there any chance of another FPOVP coalition?

Not long ago, I have written a lengthy PM about this issue to a poster who PMed me about it.

Too bad I have already deleted the message.

In short: As of right now, there's no chance of another FPÖVP or ÖVP-FPÖ coalition, simply because of the previous coalition that was a fu**ing disaster and because the FPÖ is so toxic nationally (the Left would stage massive protests) and internationally (the EU countries would go nuts again). Also, there's the problem with the FPÖ's Nazi-statements here and then. In recent years, FPÖ-leader Strache has looked to make the FPÖ much more moderate and "mainstream", taking a tough line against anyone who makes such statements. But the risk still remains and the ÖVP does rather prefer a coalition with someone else.

There are also some areas where the FPÖ and ÖVP do not agree a lot: The FPÖ (like the SPÖ) wants a millionaire tax or higher taxes for high-income earners, the ÖVP is categorically opposed. The FPÖ wants basically no further immigration, the ÖVP wants as many (skilled) immigrants as the economy demands. The FPÖ opposes TTIP and TISA, the ÖVP favours it. And so on.

Of course, you can never rule an FPÖVP coalition out, but 2018 is a long way to go and under Mitterlehner (ÖVP-leader) it's really unlikely.

[Tender Branson]

A NEOS-delegation of MPs has visited Sweden and their pension authority recently to refine their plan for a Swedish-style reform of the Austrian pension system (which is a total mess and inefficient, with ballooning payments by the government).





http://www.kleinezeitung.at/s/politik/innenpolitik/4719661/Pensionsreform_Neos-holten-sich-Blaupause-fur-Pensionsreform-in

[FredLindq]

*lol*
Nobody in Sweden likes our pensionssystem. Ok, a few politicans then, but the have they own pensionssystem. :-)

[Tender Branson]

There are a lot of WW2-related memorials this week, for example 2 days ago in Salzburg to remember the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Salzburg by the US:









And yesterday in the Austrian Parliament, to remember the liberation of the Mauthausen Concentration Camp incl. pretty chilling speeches of famous Austrian writer Christine Nöstlinger and KZ survivors:





You can watch the speech here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3AYKtP78-s

[Tender Branson]

New Salzburg poll (Market for the Team Stronach):

31% ÖVP
21% SPÖ
20% Greens
18% FPÖ
  4% TS
  2% NEOS
  4% Others

http://www.salzburg.com/nachrichten/salzburg/politik/sn/artikel/landesrat-mayr-wir-leiden-sehr-unter-dem-namen-stronach-148864

[Tender Branson]

New Gallup poll for the Oct. 11 Vienna state election:



Link

[Tender Branson]

The FPÖ's aggressive campaign in Styria is starting to pay off, as a new OGM poll for the Kleine Zeitung shows their support up by 4% compared with their previous poll and they are now almost within striking distance of SPÖ and ÖVP:

30% SPÖ (-8% compared with 2010 state election)
28% ÖVP (-9%)
24% FPÖ (+13%)
  7% Greens (+1%)
  6% KPÖ (+2%)
  3% NEOS (+3%)
  1% TS (+1%)
  1% Others (-3%)

http://www.kleinezeitung.at/s/steiermark/landespolitik/4728108/Landtagswahl_Steiermark-steuert-auf-Dreikampf-zu

The state election is in 3 weeks.

[Tender Branson]

It certainly doesn't help that the SPÖ Governor has recently called FPÖ-voters more or less "rats" and the FPÖ itself "rat-catchers", because of their aggressive campaign.

He said: "They are hatepreachers, they are liars, they are inciters, they are rat-catchers !"

http://diepresse.com/home/politik/innenpolitik/4717223/Zum-Auftakt-gegen-die-Rattenfaenger-in-der-FPO

The FPÖ's playing this thing 24/7 now ...

[Tender Branson]

SEGA is likely to sue the FPÖ, because they used one of their video-game "killers" as an "Islamist terrorist" on one of their campaign posters:



http://derstandard.at/2000015385783/Gamehersteller-Sega-koennte-FPOe-klagen

With the Styria and Burgenland state elections coming up in 4 weeks, the Styria-FPÖ has launched a pretty aggressive campaign for state election terms. Also, their campaign budget doubled from 0.5 million to 1 million € this year compared with the 2005 state election.

One poster shows an idyllic Sytrian small town and a massive picture of a guy with a gun (apparently an "Islamist terrorist"), while it turns out the guy is from a video game.

Below it reads: "Styrian asylum centers: Every week a police raid."

[Tender Branson]

Recently seen in Graz, the capital of Styria:



The state election poster from the ÖVP shows "salt" (= SPÖ+name of Governor) and "pepper" (= ÖVP+name of Vice-Governor).

Not only does it look like a retail sale ad, but it also means that SPÖ and ÖVP have now fully merged into a uniform party (SPÖVP), at least in Styria ...

It's pretty easy to see who will continue to govern after the May 31 election ...

[Cranberry]

Not only does it look like a retail sale ad, but it also means that SPÖ and ÖVP have now fully merged into a uniform party (SPÖVP), at least in Styria ...

Haven't we known this already?

[Tender Branson]

Also, the Austrian ÖVP is holding their big national convention today and tomorrow and the party will vote on & then present a new party program.

Debate and votes are now under way by the ÖVP-delegates and one interesting point has already drawn attention:

* The "Young ÖVP" proposed a switch from PR to FPTP in the new party program. For this to pass, a 2/3 majority was needed from the delegates. The measure was rejected by 1 vote (66.58%) ...



https://derstandard.at/jetzt/livebericht/2000015647676/parteitag-die-oevp-gibt-sich-ein-neues-statut

[Tender Branson]

Because of the massive influx of asylum seekers, the Austrian Interior Ministry and Red Cross are now setting up tent cities and opening school gyms for housing in various locations in Austria (the existing centers are bursting with people).



On Monday and Tuesday, 600 asylum applications were recorded - the highest level ever. If that speed keeps up, Austria will have 60.000 asylum applications this year. Most people are coming from Syria/Iraq/Afghanistan/Eritrea/Somalia via Italy and the Balkans.

That means we are officially the new Sweden ...

http://derstandard.at/2000015798691/Oesterreich-bringt-Asylsuchende-in-Zelten-und-Schubgefaengnis-unter

[Cranberry]

That means we are officially the new Sweden ...

You sound as if this was a bad thing?

[Tender Branson]

That means we are officially the new Sweden ...

You sound as if this was a bad thing?

Not really. I am happy that we help out asylum seekers in need (those from the war areas, not the economic refugees) and we should take up a good amount (10.000-20.000), which is sustainable - without creating a strain on municipalities.

But not 50.000-100.000, which is only playing into the hands of the FPÖ and is burdening finances and cities.

It would be better if the EU countries which are lazy in taking their fair share of asylum seekers (UK, Ireland, Poland, Spain, Portugal, etc.) would step up their game. Instead, there's an asylum seeker corridor from Italy, via Switzerland/Austria, Germany to Scandinavia.

[Cranberry]

That means we are officially the new Sweden ...

You sound as if this was a bad thing?

Not really. I am happy that we help out asylum seekers in need (those from the war areas, not the economic refugees) and we should take up a good amount (10.000-20.000), which is sustainable - without creating a strain on municipalities.

But not 50.000-100.000, which is only playing into the hands of the FPÖ and is burdening finances and cities.

It would be better if the EU countries which are lazy in taking their fair share of asylum seekers (UK, Ireland, Poland, Spain, Portugal, etc.) would step up their game. Instead, there's an asylum seeker corridor from Italy, via Switzerland/Austria, Germany to Scandinavia.

But if we just shut out everyone past a certain amount, those poor people will still have no place to go. Of course it should be equally balanced, but this is the EU and not Utopia and it will take far too long to even come close to a solution. Meanwhile, the problem does not go away. Instead of playing small-minded as it can do so well, Austria should provide help for as many as possible, not just those twenty-thousand and no more. But as I said, this is not Utopia...