Punch of the week

Dominik Wlazny: A beer for the political frustration!

Beer Party leader Dominik Wlazny

(Bild: REUTERS)

Perhaps Dominik Wlazny has simply lost his musician's touch: Just as pop hits have been getting shorter and shorter for years, things soon went quiet after the (election campaign) launch of his beer party.

TV appearances? No interest. Interviews? An imposition. So ten percent of the Viennese who would have trusted Wlazny to become Federal President two years ago are now only two percent who wanted to see him in parliament - and eight percent who were all the more disappointed to bury their hopes of a new political offer.

Perhaps Wlazny's secret plan was simply to increase political frustration in Austria. After all, punk - as the musical style of Wlazny's alter ego Marco Pogo - is seen as a means of expression for those who do not feel heard. So his campaign tactics would at least somehow make sense: more political frustration generates more audience for punk, i.e. his concerts.

And if no one does turn up: even two percent of voters would be enough to cover over 300,000 euros in campaign costs, which should leave enough left over in view of his frugal campaign. Whoever plays with voters' hopes instead of an audience is our Punch and Judy of the post-election week.