#klartext

Emotionally charged political debate in front of pupils

A "yes" from Anna Stürgkh (NEOS), one "no" each from Reinhold Lopatka (ÖVP) and Harald Vilimsky (FPÖ) from right to left.

(Bild: Rubina Bergauer)

Around 1600 young people gained an impression of the EU candidates at the #klartext panel discussion organized by the pupils' union. There was a heated exchange of blows between the politicians at the Festspielhaus.

On Tuesday, the country's largest public panel discussion on the EU elections took place at the Bregenz Festival Hall. The Vorarlberg Schoolchildren's Union took the election on June 9 as an opportunity to invite the representatives of the various parties to a political debate. This was intended to give the girls and boys the opportunity to form their own impression of the candidates and their respective political views.

Anna Stürgkh from NEOS and Alexander Harrer from VOLT - who are not currently on the ballot paper - were the closest to the young audience in terms of appearance. The SPÖ with Philipp Kreinbucher presented themselves in a modern business look. The statements by the Greens, represented by Thomas Waitz, and the messages from Harald Vilimsky of the FPÖ received the most reactions from the audience, both positive and negative.

The auditorium of the Festspielhaus was almost completely full. The young people had many questions for the candidates.

(Bild: Rubina Bergauer)

NEOS representative the only woman on the political panel
In the first round before the lunch break, the NEOS representative, who was also the only female politician on stage, was particularly feisty. With a sharp tongue, Stürgkh almost casually took sideswipes at the ÖVP, represented by Reinhold Lopatka, and the FPÖ. The old men seemed almost a little taken aback by this.

1600 young people

were on hand at the Bregenz Festival Hall on Tuesday to experience the panel discussion between the EU candidates. Other interested parties attended the discussion via livestream.

Heated tempers
After a crisp warm-up round, the students were then able to vote via QR code on which topics should be discussed first. The majority opted for migration and asylum, closely followed by climate change and the role of the EU in peacekeeping. The various parties were able to position themselves. However, civil manners still prevailed and there was even at least a broad consensus on the major goals for some discussion points. There was not much of this left in the second round of discussions. Tempers became increasingly heated, both on stage and in the audience, which reacted with heckling. The FPÖ, SPÖ and Greens in particular became increasingly emotional and there were some heated exchanges. Among other things, Waitz (Greens) described the FPÖ as "more right-wing than right-wing". Vilimsky, in turn, called on the SPÖ politician to admit "that their chairman is a Marxist".

We want you to go home with more knowledge, clearer ideas and the feeling that your vote counts in the election.

Jonas Mayrhofer, Obmann der Vorarlberger Schülerunion

However, before the whole thing could degenerate into a complete mud-slinging match, the moderators introduced the conciliatory final question: What advice would the representatives of the various parties give their 16-year-old selves before the first ballot? Here, the different camps were unusually unanimous. The politicians advised the young people to definitely make use of their vote and go and vote. "Be critical, look at the respective election program and make your own decision," said Kreinbucher (SPÖ), for example, which was met with general approval.