Norway faux pas on TV

Schilling on Norway faux pas: “Mistakes happen”

Green EU lead candidate Lena Schilling was unable to answer the question of whether Norway is a member of the EU.

(Bild: APA/ERWIN SCHERIAU)

After her embarrassing appearance with TV satirist Peter Klien - the 23-year-old was unable to answer the question of whether Norway is a member of the EU - Lena Schilling has spoken out via Instagram. "Mistakes happen. Today I can laugh about it!", says the Green Party's top EU candidate, who remains calm about the online shitstorm. Green party leader Sigrid Maurer also has her back.

She promised her followers that she would take them with her during the election campaign, Schilling said in her video message. "If things go well and even if they don't. Am I a bit embarrassed? Yes, of course. But you know what? Mistakes happen. Today I can laugh about it!"

Maurer: "It could have happened to me too"
Schilling receives support from her party colleague, Green Party leader Sigrid Maurer. "Even long-standing professional politicians don't always think of everything straight away, especially not with Klien's way of asking questions - it could have happened to me too. Mistakes happen, imagine that, even to a young woman," says Maurer on X. 

On the X platform, however, Schilling has been sharply criticized. Here is an excerpt: 

"When was the euro introduced in Norway?"
Klien embarrassed the EU top candidate with questions for his program "Gute Nacht Österreich". Her answer to his question "When was the euro introduced in Norway?" was: "Uh! You've got me on the wrong foot there, I'm afraid I don't know ... yet, do you?"

"Is Norway in the EU?" Klien then wanted to know from Schilling. "For God's sake! Now it's getting embarrassing. Can I have a phone joker, please?" she said with a smile, before the ORF reporter then enlightened her himself: "Norway is not in the EU."