Appeal to all

Initiative mobilizes against coalition with FPÖ

FPÖ leader Herbert Kickl

(Bild: APA/GEORG HOCHMUTH)

An initiative that claims to be non-partisan is mobilizing against the FPÖ's participation in government. On Thursday, its initiators - including the political scientists Rainer Bauböck and Sieglinde Rosenberger as well as the sociologist Jörg Flecker - appealed to the other parties to rule out a coalition with the FPÖ at all levels.

The #aufstehn association acts as a platform for the initiative "For democracy and the rule of law - no government with the FPÖ!", as its managing director Maria Mayrhofer explained.

Supporters of the campaign include writer Elfriede Jelinek, cabaret artist Lukas Resetarits, director Ruth Beckermann and constitutional lawyer Heinz Mayer, as well as former politicians such as ex-EU Commissioner Franz Fischler and former ÖVP Vice-Chancellor Reinhold Mitterlehner, ex-NEOS MP Irmgard Griss, former Vienna SPÖ Mayor Michael Häupl, former Green MEP and State Secretary for Culture Ulrike Lunacek and former ÖVP justice spokesman Michael Ikrath, who, like Beckermann, took part in the meeting in front of the Federal Chancellery in Vienna.

Anti-FPÖ appeal to all other parties
The party presented itself behind a red line. This is symbolic of the FPÖ's participation in government, Mayrhofer explained: "Crossing this line is a threat to democracy and the rule of law." Therefore, a core demand to all other parties and candidates in all ballots in this super election year is to "clearly" rule out a coalition with the FPÖ.

The FPÖ is no different from the AfD in Germany, says Bauböck: "The only difference is that there is a clear consensus in Germany regarding cooperation with the AfD." This does not exist in "the same way" in this country. This appeal is therefore being made to all decision-makers in the other parties. They should also be open to all other coalition options. These efforts are being made because democracies are "mortal", said Rosenberger. Therefore, those who promote this mortality should not be included in the government.

Visit to the members of the National Council
Before the press conference, the MPs in the National Council were visited and asked how they felt about the Freedom Party's participation in government. The familiar points of view were repeated, Flecker summarized. Questions were also asked about the election of the President of the National Council. Reference was made to the previous practice whereby the parties with the most votes have the right to nominate candidates. However, it was also pointed out that it was a secret ballot with an "open result".