"A very big task"

Lower Austria wants to stop radical Islam

A serious face for a serious game: the state government put migration at the top of the agenda at its closed meeting.

(Bild: NLK/Pfeiffer)

The state of Lower Austria now wants to tackle radical Islam "with all severity and consistency". This was decided by the governing parties ÖVP and FPÖ on Monday in what is now their fourth government meeting. The government team also wants to carry out a budget analysis as part of a task review.

Governor Johanna Mikl-Leitner (ÖVP) and Deputy Governor Udo Landbauer (FPÖ) announced a corresponding action plan against radical Islam on Monday at Schloss Hof in the Weinviertel region. Mikl-Leitner emphasized that "effective measures" were required and that more measures were needed to confront radical Islam "with all severity and consistency".

This is a "very big task". An action plan should therefore be drawn up. A comprehensive analysis of the problem areas was undertaken at Schloss Hof. Sociologist Kenan Güngör is involved in the process. As stipulated in the working agreement between the ÖVP and FPÖ, the action plan will in any case include an advisory and monitoring center against radical political Islam, said the Governor.

Radical Islamists are increasingly reaching young people, particularly via social media, who often become radicalized as a result.

(Bild: EPA/APA/MOHAMMED SABER)

Concern about parallel society
Mikl-Leitner also recalled her call for tougher penalties for parents who fail to fulfill their duty to cooperate in the integration of their children at school. She also described the fact that around 60 percent of Muslim religious teachers working in Lower Austria had been trained abroad as a problem. Careful attention must be paid to the world view that is taught there. Last but not least, we need to think about when Muslim girls are forced into a parallel society and are not allowed to take part in gymnastics or swimming lessons, for example.

Landbauer wants a zero-tolerance strategy
Landbauer described political Islam as the "greatest threat and danger to our democracy, the rule of law and security in our country". It is also a huge problem in Austria. Radical Islam is on the rise and has become a highly explosive source of danger in recent years. A determined fight was therefore needed and there could be no compromises.

Landbauer announced a zero-tolerance strategy against those who cloaked their dangerous political ideology under the guise of faith. The breeding ground for radical tendencies must be removed from the outset. As far as the action plan is concerned, Mikl-Leitner said she wanted to "step up the pace". "We need very clear answers." He was confident that he would be able to present something "within a reasonable period of time" and before the end of the year, added Landbauer.

SPÖ has "stretched out both hands for months"
 SPÖ provincial party leader Provincial Councillor Sven Hergovich "stretched out both hands months ago to jointly pass a law banning political Islam", said Member of Parliament Kathrin Schindele (SPÖ) in a press release. "It's a shame that the ÖVP and FPÖ are once again taking so long to recognize problem areas." According to Mikl-Leitner's statements, there is actually nothing standing in the way of Hergovich's proposal being adopted.

But it is also about the budget
It is also clear to Mikl-Leitner that in economically challenging times, the economy should not be burdened any further. However, Lower Austria wants to achieve a zero deficit by 2030 and continue to create room for maneuver for future investments. For this reason, a comprehensive review of the state's future tasks is being carried out. Lower Austria should, for example, "become even more efficient".

The health pact for Lower Austria was also discussed at Schloss Hof, which, according to Mikl-Leitner, is being developed across party lines by the state councillors Ludwig Schleritzko (ÖVP), Christoph Luisser (FPÖ) and Ulrike Königsberger-Ludwig (SPÖ) as well as together with more than 50 experts. Landbauer referred to the goal of securing 21 primary care centers (PVZ) across the country by 2028 - in all district capitals and statutory towns - as well as at least one children's PVZ in each of the five care regions.