Austrian Elections & Politics 5.0 (Burgenland state election - January 26)

[Tender Branson]

Strache’s political comeback and his own party could be imminent:

https://www.vienna.at/fpoe-mandat-von-karl-baron-koennte-an-hc-strache-gehen/6455010

Karl Baron, a Strache-loyalist and member of the Vienna city parliament, could step down tomorrow (a press statement is scheduled) and Strache would replace him, based on the 2015 state election list.

If Strache returns to the Vienna city parliament and 2 other FPÖ MPs join him, he could create his own group with public funding ...

Today, Karl Baron - together with 2 other FPÖ MP's in Vienna - quit the party and announced the creation of their own parliamentary group, the Alliance for Austria (DAÖ).


Source: APA/Fohringer

The FPÖ leadership (Hofer, Kickl, Vilimsky and Nepp in Vienna) called the party "destined to fail" and that "Strache was behind it".

NEOS attacked it as a "Strache fanboy club, costing the taxpayers and additional 1 million € in party funding each year".

If Baron retires from the Vienna parliament next year, Strache could follow him and lead the party into the Vienna elections.

https://orf.at/stories/3147410

[Omega21]

Strache’s political comeback and his own party could be imminent:

https://www.vienna.at/fpoe-mandat-von-karl-baron-koennte-an-hc-strache-gehen/6455010

Karl Baron, a Strache-loyalist and member of the Vienna city parliament, could step down tomorrow (a press statement is scheduled) and Strache would replace him, based on the 2015 state election list.

If Strache returns to the Vienna city parliament and 2 other FPÖ MPs join him, he could create his own group with public funding ...

Today, Karl Baron - together with 2 other FPÖ MP's in Vienna - quit the party and announced the creation of their own parliamentary group, the Alliance for Austria (DAÖ).


Source: APA/Fohringer

The FPÖ leadership (Hofer, Kickl, Vilimsky and Nepp in Vienna) called the party "destined to fail" and that "Strache was behind it".

NEOS attacked it as a "Strache fanboy club, costing the taxpayers and additional 1 million € in party funding each year".

If Baron retires from the Vienna parliament next year, Strache could follow him and lead the party into the Vienna elections.

https://orf.at/stories/3147410

Finally, something actually happening!

Bad development in General, but a welcomed refreshment to the thread indeed.

[bigic]

Why is the acronym DAÖ and not AFÖ?

[Tender Branson]

Why is the acronym DAÖ and not AFÖ?

Might be logical, but someone was already quicker than them and registered AfÖ as a party long ago with the Interior Ministry (2013).

https://www.bmi.gv.at/405/files/Parteienverzeichnis_gemaess_1_Abs_4_PartG_20191209.pdf

[Tender Branson]

New Ö24 poll shows a stable picture (I actually would have thought that SPÖ and FPÖ keep falling with all their negative headlines):



With DAÖ/Strache Party:



Chancellor vote:



https://www.oe24.at/oesterreich/politik/Umfrage-Strache-noch-nicht-drin/409320681

[Tender Branson]

The FPÖ has expelled Strache today:

https://sg.news.yahoo.com/austrian-far-kicks-scandal-hit-ex-leader-172931320.html

Then, Strache released a video in which he says he acknowledges the FPÖs decision, but said he’s „thinking thoroughly“ about a political comeback next year.

Norbert Hofer called the decision to remove Strache from the party an act of „liberation“:

https://www.krone.at/2061532

[Tender Branson]

The ÖVP-Green coalition (if it happens at all) will not be sworn in this year.

https://kurier.at/politik/inland/oevp-und-gruene-verhandeln-auch-nach-weihnachten/400702497

Both parties announced that there are still some tough nuts to crack on several topics where they are miles apart and have scheduled more talks after Christmas ...

[Tender Branson]

The Greens are at an all-time-high (17%) in the new "Profil" magazine poll and they have also overtaken the FPÖ "for the first time" they say, but I guess the Greens were also ahead of the FPÖ in 2005 when the BZÖ split from the FPÖ:

Methode: Telefonische und Online-Befragung
Zielgruppe: Österr. Bevölkerung ab 16 Jahren
Max. Schwankungsbreite der Ergebnisse: ±3,4 Prozentpunkte
Sample: n = 807 Befragte
Feldarbeit: 9. bis 13. Dezember 2019

https://www.profil.at/oesterreich/umfrage-fpoe-gruene-11275273

[Omega21]

Austrian police foil a plan by 2 men to commit a terrorist attack on Christmas. Both of the suspects are Chechens.

https://www.oe24.at/oesterreich/chronik/wien/Duo-plante-Terror-zu-Weihnachten/409515421

[RGM2609]

Why are the Greens rising in the polls for making a coalition with the rightists lol?

[Tender Branson]

Why are the Greens rising in the polls for making a coalition with the rightists lol?

They are rising in the polls despite of it, not because of it ...

Reasons are:

* the disgraceful state of the SPÖ right now
* the FPÖs corruption, which motivates a lot of voters to become Greens
* and of course the climate / environmental protection issues + Greta

[Tender Branson]

Finally, Sebastian Kurz speaks to the media about the coalition talks ...

https://www.krone.at/2062520

* additional talks over Christmas / New Year are needed
* the atmosphere during the talks remains pretty good
* the coalition deal should be ready by Three Kings Day (Jan. 6)
* no new taxes, such as a wealth or inheritance tax
* keep the budget balanced in the coming years
* keep the hardline immigration position
* keep the welfare restrictions for immigrants in place
* „major“ investments into public transport and anti-child poverty measures
* tackling climate change by reducing carbon output
* a major tax reform/cut (could increase fuel/carbon prices - compensated by lower taxes)
* the Greens are very careful and „demanding“ negotiators: at one point they demanded from the ÖVP that floodlights in football stadiums must be turned off after 8pm so that insects are not disturbed

[Tender Branson]

Finally, Sebastian Kurz speaks to the media about the coalition talks ...

https://www.krone.at/2062520

* additional talks over Christmas / New Year are needed
* the atmosphere during the talks remains pretty good
* the coalition deal should be ready by Three Kings Day (Jan. 6)
* no new taxes, such as a wealth or inheritance tax
* keep the budget balanced in the coming years
* keep the hardline immigration position
* keep the welfare restrictions for immigrants in place
* „major“ investments into public transport and anti-child poverty measures
* tackling climate change by reducing carbon output
* a major tax reform/cut (could increase fuel/carbon prices - compensated by lower taxes)
* the Greens are very careful and „demanding“ negotiators: at one point they demanded from the ÖVP that floodlights in football stadiums must be turned off after 8pm so that insects are not disturbed

Plus:

A delicate project seems to be in the dry. Climate-damaging emissions are likely to become more expensive, but with cushioning for commuters who have no chance of switching to public transport. At the same time, public transport will be massively cheaper - and "a large amount of money", as an insider says, will flow into the rail expansion.

The ministerial responsibility for this prestige project will fall to Leonore Gewessler. Environment, transport and infrastructure will be merged, and this department will not only be equipped with many tasks, but also with enormous budget funds. The Ministry of Transport has already managed more than four billion euros, of which only the annuities are shown in the ministerial budget. The real expenses are much higher. Added to this are environmental expenses (previously almost 600 million) and additional money for new investments.

Political scientist Leonore Gewessler - who has worked as the managing director of Global 2000 in recent years - plays a key role in the functioning of turquoise-green. This also includes a good instinct for the right speed when pushing back car traffic.

Leonore will make a good environmental minister I guess.

Kurz btw also said he wants a 50% women share in his cabinet.

[Tender Branson]

Finally, Sebastian Kurz speaks to the media about the coalition talks ...

https://www.krone.at/2062520

* additional talks over Christmas / New Year are needed
* the atmosphere during the talks remains pretty good
* the coalition deal should be ready by Three Kings Day (Jan. 6)
* no new taxes, such as a wealth or inheritance tax
* keep the budget balanced in the coming years
* keep the hardline immigration position
* keep the welfare restrictions for immigrants in place
* „major“ investments into public transport and anti-child poverty measures
* tackling climate change by reducing carbon output
* a major tax reform/cut (could increase fuel/carbon prices - compensated by lower taxes)
* the Greens are very careful and „demanding“ negotiators: at one point they demanded from the ÖVP that floodlights in football stadiums must be turned off after 8pm so that insects are not disturbed

Plus:

A delicate project seems to be in the dry. Climate-damaging emissions are likely to become more expensive, but with cushioning for commuters who have no chance of switching to public transport. At the same time, public transport will be massively cheaper - and "a large amount of money", as an insider says, will flow into the rail expansion.

The ministerial responsibility for this prestige project will fall to Leonore Gewessler. Environment, transport and infrastructure will be merged, and this department will not only be equipped with many tasks, but also with enormous budget funds. The Ministry of Transport has already managed more than four billion euros, of which only the annuities are shown in the ministerial budget. The real expenses are much higher. Added to this are environmental expenses (previously almost 600 million) and additional money for new investments.

Political scientist Leonore Gewessler - who has worked as the managing director of Global 2000 in recent years - plays a key role in the functioning of turquoise-green. This also includes a good instinct for the right speed when pushing back car traffic.

Leonore will make a good environmental minister I guess.

Kurz btw also said he wants a 50% women share in his cabinet.

She’s a rising star in the Green party and future coalition as well.

I could also see her as a surprise Vice-Chancellor, if for example Werner Kogler wants to focus more on the party and parliamentary group work instead.


Source: Green Party Facebook

[Tender Branson]

Coalition talks in Styria have been finalized, just 3 weeks after the state election.

https://www.derstandard.at/story/2000112308415/steirische-koalition-soll-am-montag-verkuendet-werden

ÖVP-SPÖ will continue for another term and will be sworn in on Tuesday.

[Helsinkian]

LOL what?

https://twitter.com/emilyrs/status/1206516344512008192

[Tender Branson]

LOL what?

https://twitter.com/emilyrs/status/1206516344512008192

This is taken quite a bit out of context:

The FPÖ stored gold bars in their party academy building in East Tyrol, yes.

They did so, because they thought that gold was the best investment after the 2008 financial crisis - and indeed the gold price went up since then, so the FPÖs Gold investment was a success.

The place of the party academy is also a restaurant/pub/hotel kind of building in a more or less remote area, so it makes sense that fuel is stored there as well.

The NATO invasion thing seems like a total bullsh*t ...

[Tender Branson]

The new (and old) VP-SP government in Styria presented itself today:


Source: State Government of Styria

It is made up of 5 men and 5 women (6-4 before).

6x ÖVP, 4x SPÖ (5-5 before).

[Omega21]

The Social System put in place by the old Govt is now dead according to Constitutional court ruling.

https://www.krone.at/2063888

[Tender Branson]

The Social System put in place by the old Govt is now dead according to Constitutional court ruling.

https://www.krone.at/2063888

You are confusing several rulings of the Constitutional Court in their latest session.

They ruled on a couple important topics/reforms passed by ÖVP/FPÖ, such as the Health Care System merger (they upheld it), their IT-based "spy law" (= Bundestrojaner, license plate tracking => they struck it down) and what Omega21 is referring to the reform of the welfare money system (they struck it down in several areas, but not the whole thing).

The VfGH (Constitutional Court) ruled today that the part concerning the welfare amounts paid per child of parents getting welfare money are unconstitutional, because they are regressive: this means that ÖVP-FPÖ was targeting children-rich families, with every additional child being "worth less" and parents getting less and less welfare money the more kids they have. They also struck down the part that tied welfare money to German skills, which means that non-EU/EFTA foreigners can now get the same full amount that Austrian/EU-citizens can claim, without passing German levels. While I support the 1st decision of the Court, the 2nd is kinda bad. Welfare should definitely be tied to German-levels and integration measures.

[Omega21]

The Social System put in place by the old Govt is now dead according to Constitutional court ruling.

https://www.krone.at/2063888

You are confusing several rulings of the Constitutional Court in their latest session.

They ruled on a couple important topics/reforms passed by ÖVP/FPÖ, such as the Health Care System merger (they upheld it), their IT-based "spy law" (= Bundestrojaner, license plate tracking => they struck it down) and what Omega21 is referring to the reform of the welfare money system (they struck it down in several areas, but not the whole thing).

The VfGH (Constitutional Court) ruled today that the part concerning the welfare amounts paid per child of parents getting welfare money are unconstitutional, because they are regressive: this means that ÖVP-FPÖ was targeting children-rich families, with every additional child being "worth less" and parents getting less and less welfare money the more kids they have. They also struck down the part that tied welfare money to German skills, which means that non-EU/EFTA foreigners can now get the same full amount that Austrian/EU-citizens can claim, without passing German levels. While I support the 1st decision of the Court, the 2nd is kinda bad. Welfare should definitely be tied to German-levels and integration measures.

No worries, the new Green Govt will surely re-implement something similar to the integration-based welfare!

*if only that were true

[Tender Branson]

The Social System put in place by the old Govt is now dead according to Constitutional court ruling.

https://www.krone.at/2063888

You are confusing several rulings of the Constitutional Court in their latest session.

They ruled on a couple important topics/reforms passed by ÖVP/FPÖ, such as the Health Care System merger (they upheld it), their IT-based "spy law" (= Bundestrojaner, license plate tracking => they struck it down) and what Omega21 is referring to the reform of the welfare money system (they struck it down in several areas, but not the whole thing).

The VfGH (Constitutional Court) ruled today that the part concerning the welfare amounts paid per child of parents getting welfare money are unconstitutional, because they are regressive: this means that ÖVP-FPÖ was targeting children-rich families, with every additional child being "worth less" and parents getting less and less welfare money the more kids they have. They also struck down the part that tied welfare money to German skills, which means that non-EU/EFTA foreigners can now get the same full amount that Austrian/EU-citizens can claim, without passing German levels. While I support the 1st decision of the Court, the 2nd is kinda bad. Welfare should definitely be tied to German-levels and integration measures.

No worries, the new Green Govt will surely re-implement something similar to the integration-based welfare!

*if only that were true

With key provisions of the ÖVP-FPÖ welfare reform law being struck down by the Court today, ÖVP-Greens will definitely have to repair this law ...

Considering the ÖVP is still in charge, it will not end up as something totally naive - but where the Court rulings are taken into account (more money for children etc.)

PS: it is now the second time in a row that the Constitutional Court has struck down a spying and data storage law in Austria. SPÖVPs was once killed and now ÖVP-FPÖs as well. The Interior Ministry cannot use a purchased spy software to snoop on citizens computers, nor can they preventively store citizens online and phone call data for months or years, nor are they able to implement a camera system on highways and roads to track license plates of suspects in common crime, smuggling or terror cases ... it’s only possible with a warrant from a judge on an individual basis.

A major victory for freedom !

[Tender Branson]

The Greens badly want to introduce a Carbon Tax, which would increase fuel prices for drivers and heating oil by 25-50%.

https://www.oe24.at/oesterreich/politik/Tuerkis-Gruen-Wird-der-Sprit-um-47-Cent-teurer/409773328

The ÖVP is largely opposed, fearing a major backlash from farmers and the economy (truck and logistics industry).

Drivers would have to pay ca. 4 billion € more per year, but the Greens want to compensate it with a tax refund.

This will be interesting ... (I wouldn’t really mind the reform).

[Umengus]

The Greens badly want to introduce a Carbon Tax, which would increase fuel prices for drivers and heating oil by 25-50%.

https://www.oe24.at/oesterreich/politik/Tuerkis-Gruen-Wird-der-Sprit-um-47-Cent-teurer/409773328

The ÖVP is largely opposed, fearing a major backlash from farmers and the economy (truck and logistics industry).

Drivers would have to pay ca. 4 billion € more per year, but the Greens want to compensate it with a tax refund.

This will be interesting ... (I wouldn’t really mind the reform).

Here come the problems... Enacte it and it will be the begin of the end.

[Omega21]

The Greens badly want to introduce a Carbon Tax, which would increase fuel prices for drivers and heating oil by 25-50%.

https://www.oe24.at/oesterreich/politik/Tuerkis-Gruen-Wird-der-Sprit-um-47-Cent-teurer/409773328

The ÖVP is largely opposed, fearing a major backlash from farmers and the economy (truck and logistics industry).

Drivers would have to pay ca. 4 billion € more per year, but the Greens want to compensate it with a tax refund.

This will be interesting ... (I wouldn’t really mind the reform).

This would lead to France style protests and backlash if the working class gets f'd by the rich urban Green politicians, who'll drive around in nice Audi A8's once they are in office.