The next chancellor of Austria could be Europe’s most Right-wing leader after establishment parties failed to strike a pact to keep a populist pro-Putin faction out of power.
The victory for Herbert Kickl’s Eurosceptic and anti-migrant Freedom Party of Austria (FPO) marks a paradigm shift on the continent as traditional coalition building between moderate parties falters.
So, you build this firewall, this cordon sanitaire. If we, the right thinking, stop those baddies from ever getting a taste of political power then, well, they’ll never have any political power.
But there’s a reason they’re doing well in elections. Lots of people like their ideas. And so it’s possible – possib le, not certain – that their vote will keep going up. And one day, leap your firewall. At which point you’ve no defence, have you? Becauyse everything was reliant upon their never actually gaining power.
Yeah… it’s funny how the Torygraph parrots the Opinion of a pro-EU “Think Tank” “Expert” in this.
Let’s see if today’s Graun can top this show of Worried Indignation.
This has been a massive debacle for the Austrian Second Republic.
That senile old berk, President van der Bellen was convinced by the other two main parties that they could form a grand coalition to keep the FPOe out. (vd Bellen hates Kickl by the way ). Needless to say they buggered it up and Chancellor Nehammer had to resign.
The OeVP ( the ‘conservative’ “Peoples Party”) have had to eat the entire Central European supply of humble pie and are now negotiating with the FPOe.
Van der Bellen will probably see out his term, but his authority is shredded.
… as traditional coalition building between moderate parties falters.
Ah, those ‘moderate’ party alliances with – checks notes – actual communists.
“Firewalls” are instinsically rickety structures so other measures are required when they begin to teeter and when coalitions of political antagonists fall apart or, horrors, they fail to get the necessary votes in the first place. Where Austria leads, Germany will eventually follow – unless of course the AfD is banned.
Much as I like the idea of a hard, far right party or “normal” as some of us would call it, seeing Herr Kickl’s photo makes me think that not only does he look like a right Herbert but he could do with a bit of a kickling…
TMB,
It’s probably selection bias but I read more stories of groups pointing out that banning the AfD is going to be playing walk-a-mole and more likely to drive up their sympathy vote.
Grist
Kickl is a bit of a wally, which makes him more human to the electorate.
His party predecessor, Strache, was a right villain.
BiND/BoND – I doubt that it’s selection bias on your part so much as a sounder understanding of human nature than that possessed by those calling for a ban on the AfD which is currently polling at around 25% .
An AfD supporter faced by the removal of his political choice isn’t likely to say “What a pity, I rather liked them, let me choose another party instead.” He’s more likely to find some means of expressing his dissatisfaction.
‘An AfD supporter faced by the removal of his political choice isn’t likely to say “What a pity, I rather liked them, let me choose another party instead.” He’s more likely to find some means of expressing his dissatisfaction.’
That IS the way I’d react!!
(Weird how my nom de guerre change itself. )
As a contrarian I’d make a point of voting for them if official moves were made or voting for their replacement if they were banned.
BiND: « Weird how my nom de guerre change itself. »
If you enjoying taking moles for walks, we could switch to BuND
On the subject of bikkies, chocolate Viennese wafers get top marks.
So there is one thing one can say for Austria.
Right, Jonathan. Begging the question fallacy. Greens and Social Dems are ‘moderate?’
@Otto
Your near namesake had this to say about Austrians (while putting down Bavarians:
“A strange fellow your Bavarian, halfway between an Austrian and a human being.”
Prince Otto Eduard Leopold von Bismarck, Duke of Lauenburg (1815-1898
Austria? On a trip to Vienna a pal took photos of a couple of shops near each other on the same street, one called Krapp, the other Wanke.
Otto von B
I used to live near the Manner sweet and bic-bic factory in Vienna.
The smell was wonderful if the wind was in the right direction.