EU consequences in Carinthia

Election analysis: “Herbert Kickl will use the bonus”

Kickl will continue to score points in his home state of Carinthia

(Bild: Rojsek-Wiedergut Uta)

In Carinthia, the Freedom Party made strong gains in the EU elections, securing first place. Political scientist Kathrin Stainer-Hämmerle on the "EU consequences" for the National Council elections.

The strong Carinthian result for the Freedom Party in the EU elections should come as a surprise to few, as "Carinthia is traditionally a very strong FPÖ state", analyzes political scientist Kathrin Stainer-Hämmerle in an interview with the "Krone". And the Freedom Party will certainly use this for the National Council elections. "It is usually the case that top candidates have good chances in their home state," says Stainer-Hämmerle. And that plays into the hands of FPÖ boss Herbert Kickl. Because the Radenthein native will increasingly be looking for votes in the south of Austria. "He can score points there with his local patriotism and the bonus."

EU election as a reminder
However, it remains to be seen how well the Freedom Party will be able to build on the successes of this EU election in the National Council elections. "After all, in a survey, more than 80 percent stated that they want to reject federal politics in the EU elections," analyzes Stainer-Hämmerle. And that is probably why the People's Party and the Greens in Carinthia have received such a severe rebuke.

For the political scientist, one thing is clear after the EU election: "The Carinthian Social Democrats can dismiss the poor election result as an EU result. Because compared to Styria, there are no state elections in Carinthia this year..."

And while Carinthia was dyed deep blue in the EU elections, the parties will once again mobilize all their forces in their strongholds in the National Council elections.

Kärnthema

Warum Europa doch regional ist

Last Sunday was "only" about Europe in the voting booths, some said beforehand - and sometimes afterwards too. But by no means! After all, how else could the different results in the member states be interpreted? Except as relative satisfaction or dissatisfaction with their own governments. Political scientist Kathrin Steiner-Hämmerle also detects a "punishment of federal politics" (see above) on EU ballot papers.

And it is probably even more regional than that. There is hardly any other explanation for the exciting Carinthian details. The fact that FP federal party leader Herbert Kickl is a native of Carinthia will have made just as little difference to the results as Harald Vilimsky. The lack of understanding for Carinthia's somewhat too quiet provincial politics and, above all, the local mayors are more likely to have been the deciding factors.

And so the elections in the fall, when it comes to the National Council - in other words Austria as a whole - will be a much more interesting indicator of the mood in Carinthia.

All political groups will have to come up with some ideas; deportation, adaptation and redistribution issues alone will not be enough. And the fact that more of what you already have is also unlikely to be a conclusive recipe can be seen from the Greens. It's exciting that a party that should actually be playing into the hands of the circumstances of our time is so unsuccessful. So does government responsibility and the need for reason and compromise permanently destroy all ideology and values? For the regional Greens after their participation in government in Team "Kaiser 1" and the federal Greens in the Nehammer cabinet. Or is it the phenomenon that we don't really appreciate what we seem to have enough of, such as a healthy environment and nature?

Or are we experiencing the next democratic-political wave movement, for example, that only those who really fly out once can regenerate themselves on the opposition bench in such a way that they can take off again to new heights? There are enough examples of this. They are at least a guarantee that things will remain exciting.