this post was submitted on 30 Sep 2024
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Austria’s main parties are preparing to begin tense wrangling to form a government amid warnings about the country’s democracy after the far right’s watershed victory in a general election in which angry voters punished centrist incumbents over migration and inflation.

On Sunday, the anti-Islam, Kremlin-friendly Freedom party (FPÖ) scored its strongest result since its founding after the second world war by former Nazi functionaries and SS officers with just over 29% of the vote. The outcome surpassed expectations and beat the ruling centre-right People’s party (ÖVP) by nearly three percentage points. The centre-left opposition Social Democratic party (SPÖ) turned in its worst-ever performance with 21% while the Greens, junior partners in government, sank to 8%.

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[–] [email protected] 60 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (14 children)

A short list of things the FPÖ is famous for:

The party fund scandal when then head of party H.C. Strache used 10 000€ party funds to purchase emeralds in "Clash of Clans" (I wish I made that up but I didn't).

Trying to strike a deal with a "Russian Oligarch" to purchase Austrias biggest news outlet "Krone" and turn it into a FPÖ propaganda machine. The "Russian Oligarch" was a bait and high ranking FPÖ politicians (like the mentioned H.C. Strache) had to explain themselves and said they were "having drunk fantasies". It caused the then ÖVP-FPÖ government to collapse.

A song containing the lyrics "Let's go! (which can also mean Release gas! - I wanted to mention that since it gets lost in translation) We'll make it 7 million!". Then minister of inner affairs Herbert Kickl (who ~~is now likely to~~ could become chancellor) reacted not by criticism towards his party, but by criticism towards the "Verfassungsschutz" (Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution) who, according to him, leaked the song. He then ordered a normal police unit, that was meant to arrest drug dealers and gang members, to raid the Verfassungsschutz and they took any evidence for far right extremism linked to the FPÖ.

Now head of party Herbert Kickl is also known for:

Calling the neo nazi group "Identitäre Bewegung" a "project worth supporting".

Claiming that horse deworming medication could treat covid.

Refering to himself as "Volkskanzler" a title also used by Adolf Hitler.

Saying that "politics should be above the law and that the law should not be above politics"

Having friends that donated money to the Christchurch mass killer and that really wanted to "meet him and drink a coffee if he visits Vienna one day".

I bet I have forgotten a lot of shit that has been going on. Let's just say the last few years have been a wild ride in Austrian politics.

Edit: as has been pointed out, Herbert Kickl is not a likely but possible option for chancellor since the ÖVP could form a coalition with the SPÖ and keep Nehammer as chancellor. It was bad wording from my side, I apologize >~<

[–] pumpkinseedoil 5 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Then minister of inner affairs Herbert Kickl (who is now likely to become chancellor)

Is he? Every single party has said they will not be forming a coalition with Kickl.

My bet is that either the FPÖ drops Kickl (which is possible but unlikely since he brought them their best result in all of their history, 29%), forming a coalition with the ÖVP (People's Party), or they refuse to drop him (more likely) and the ÖVP forms a coalition with the SPÖ (social democrats) and NEOS (economically right (less regulation), else left).

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

Yes, I fully agree. I phrased myself badly since I should have used "possible" instead of "likely". My bad >~<

Even tho there is a 3rd way in which the ÖVP kicks Nehammer and the "Brandmauer" (stance against right wing populists) with him and forms a coalition with the FPÖ I agree the Grand coalition (ÖVP & SPÖ) is the more likely option they could get NEOS or Greens into the boat (both would get them a 2/3 majority) but they don't need to to get a simple majority. As for why it is likely: the ÖVP can stick to their word that a coalition with the FPÖ is out of question and it would be the major party in any non-FPÖ coalition, it could keep Nehammer as a chancellor.

As for the SPÖ they could showcase Babler's econimically social politics by getting the ministry of health and education (and maybe if they are really good at negotiating the finance, environment or agriculture ministry as well) which could boost their reputation whilst maybe silencing Doskozil.

Further the SPÖ could delegate the hot potato that is migration to the ÖVP and give them the ministry of inner and outer affairs.

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