Chancellor in the crossfire

Full throttle offensive by the ÖVP for “Autoland Austria”

Federal Chancellor Karl Nehammer is worried about Austria as a business location. He sees competitiveness and jobs at risk due to the end of combustion engines.

(Bild: APA/Georg Hochmuth)

Chancellor Karl Nehammer is focusing on saving the combustion engine ahead of the elections on Sunday - the "Krone" reported in detail. Now there is fierce criticism from other parties.

The Federal Chancellor's last substantive offensive before the EU election battle next Sunday, which is likely to result in a bad outcome for his ÖVP. If the polls are to be believed. Karl Nehammer wants to be the spearhead against the Union's regulatory mania, he said on Monday after a "round table". Economics Minister Martin Kocher and Styrian Governor Christopher Drexler (both ÖVP) also took part, as did representatives from the IV and car companies.

Nehammer then went full throttle. "Out of the combustion engine" and "Yes to the car" were the slogans. This had nothing to do with an election campaign, but with setting the course for the time afterwards. It is about Austria as an industrial location, about "Autoland Austria". A regulatory pause is needed. In the interests of Europe, in the interests of Austria, where 100,000 jobs are affected. Especially in the supplier industry. In 2035, there should be no more new registrations for fossil-fueled cars. The European People's Party (EPP) and the right are against this. In Austria, this means the FPÖ. The EPP is likely to become the strongest force. And has already announced that it will then turn its attention to the hot topic of combustion engines.

Styrian well-wisher
Nehammer does not want bans, but innovation and freedom of technology. Neither Asia nor the USA or Latin America would ban combustion engines. Only the EU wants this. This would mean a competitive disadvantage and loss of jobs, emphasized Styria's Drexler, whose state is particularly dependent on the automotive sector. Drexler, who, like Nehammer (National Council), also has a (state parliament) election to beat this year and is weakening in the polls, congratulated the party leader on his initiative.

Green and red critics
Criticism came unsurprisingly from other parties. The Green coalition partner is - in the truest sense of the word - naturally upset. EU top candidate Lena Schilling said that the ÖVP was gambling away the future of the car industry for a few pennies of political change. "The People's Party must overcome its fetish for combustion engines and pave the way for climate-friendly mobility. The future belongs to the electric car."

Coalition partner Kogler: "Old thinking brought in by old oil lobbyists."

(Bild: APA/HANS KLAUS TECHT)

Vice-Chancellor Werner Kogler: "Nothing new from the People's Party, but a lot of old thinking brought in by old oil lobbyists. From 2035, only zero-emission cars should be allowed on the roads. These are huge opportunities for the European car industry - many new high-quality jobs will be created in electromobility. Young people want to earn their money with climate protection and not by destroying nature."

SPÖ party chairman Philip Kucher spoke of the ÖVP's next "PR scam. Whenever Nehammer organizes a summit, things are guaranteed to go downhill for Austria." The only good thing is that no more summits are possible before the EU elections.