Red EU round-up

Babler does NOT want to work with these forces

Babler sees Europe endangered by right-wing extremist and conservative forces.

(Bild: APA/ROBERT JAEGER)

The Social Democrats have issued a clear rejection of a coalition with the right-wing forces in the EU. SPÖ leader Andreas Babler warns that the FPÖ and like-minded parties want to destroy Europe and its fundamental democratic values. The comrade also thinks little of conservative and neoliberal forces.

At an election campaign event of the "Party of European Socialists" (PES) and the SPÖ in Vienna's Marx Palace on Tuesday evening, PES top candidate Nicolas Schmit and SPÖ leader Andreas Babler and his top candidate Andreas Schieder distanced themselves from far-right and conservative rivals. The Social Democrats are the "only force in the European elections that rules out a coalition with the extreme right", Babler stated.

Babler against free market in some areas
But the "neoliberal path" with its blind trust in market forces had also failed. The free market had "no place" in the areas of education, energy or housing, Babler said to the applause of more than 300 listeners. Europe needed to invest more in its own supply of energy or raw materials. It was unacceptable that, for example, antipyretics for children were suddenly no longer available due to a lack of supplies from third countries.

The PES lead candidate, Luxembourg's EU Commissioner Nicolas Schmit, spoke of a "directional election" on June 9. "There must be no way back to nationalism." Democracy and prosperity are at risk in the EU. Only the Social Democrats had clearly differentiated themselves from far-right parties.

Excitement about Meloni
The lead candidate of the European People's Party (EPP), EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, only gave a vague answer to his question about her stance, saying that cooperation with far-right parties would depend on the new composition of the European Parliament.

Von der Leyen and Meloni have recently become much closer - and not just in appearance.

(Bild: AFP)

Schmit sharply criticized Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni as the "best friend" of EPP lead candidate Von der Leyen. Meloni had abolished social rights such as the minimum wage in Italy and was fighting against the European democratic model. "The only bulwark against authoritarian and fascist tendencies is a strong social democracy," explained Schmit. A social and ecological industrial policy must now be developed quickly in the EU.

Schieder fears for the European model
Andreas Schieder, the SPÖ's lead candidate for the European elections, cited the goal of "combating climate change and creating new, green jobs". The "European model of life" with democracy, peace, freedom and the rule of law is being threatened by the FPÖ and other far-right parties. Democracy is only secure "if there is social justice", said Schieder.

With regard to security policy, he said that "the proven model of Austrian neutrality" should be retained. However, he felt that the current federal government lacked an "active foreign policy", which had been "put to sleep" by foreign ministers from the ÖVP and FPÖ over the past 20 years. Although the FPÖ advocates neutrality, "it is actually sacrificing the interests of this country at Putin's Kremlin door."

SPÖ wants to target corporations
Evelyn Regner, the SPÖ's second-list member and Vice-President of the European Parliament, emphasized that a lot had been achieved in the social field in the last legislative period, including resolutions on minimum wages, women's rights and employment at platforms. Companies must now disclose in which countries they pay taxes.

In Austria, taxation on labor is still "far too high": 80 out of every 100 euros in tax revenue comes from employees through taxes on income and consumption. Companies contribute 16 euros. Zero euros come from the lack of inheritance tax. Regner called for the introduction of wealth-related taxes "for the ultra-rich" "in the interests of tax justice".