Neos leader Niko Swatek:

“We will only enter government if there are reforms”

The Styrian Neos leader Niko Swatek.

(Bild: Radspieler Jürgen)

The Neos could be the second winner in the Styrian state elections alongside the FPÖ. In any case, their top candidate Niko Swatek is very confident. In contrast to federal party leader Beate Meinl-Reisinger, however, he is less insistent on being part of a new government.

"Krone": Mr. Swatek, you are also focusing on the Neos core issues of education, transparency, childcare and health in the election campaign: are these really the issues that concern the Styrian population the most?
Niko Swatek: They are definitely the issues that people feel the most. If you are confronted with exploding waiting times for operations in hospital, if you can't find any panel doctors in the regions, if you can't get a place for your child in nurseries or kindergartens - then these are issues that affect Styrians on a daily basis and which the state government must finally resolve. Over the last five years, it has definitely managed a standstill and overslept a lot.

To stay with your findings: Why should anything change after the election?
I am a professional optimist and am convinced that our best days are still ahead of us - when politicians finally get their act together. I am also convinced that we Neos will make gains in the election, that we will tip the scales and be the driving force behind reforms in Styria.

Niko Swatek (32) presents himself as young and sporty on the election posters.

(Bild: Juergen Fuchs)

What makes you so confident about the election?
The popularity on the streets. We realize that our issues are getting through, that people are dissatisfied with the way this country is governed, that politicians are stuck in arguments instead of tackling issues. If you look at the results of the EU and National Council elections, we have a tailwind for the state elections.

You are repeatedly involved in heated debates in the provincial parliament, most recently with Werner Amon, the provincial councillor for education. Are you being too harsh - or are the others too snivelling?
I am surprised that facts hurt the governing parties so much. For example, when, according to the ministry, 18 million euros for childcare are not collected. The reaction is often petty and not based on facts.

What is your overall impression of the mood in parliament? Governor Drexler likes to praise the Styrian climate.
In the end, the majority decides, that is the government. There are rarely talks across party lines to reach major compromises. That's a shame, I'm convinced that every party has good ideas.

Nobody in our country is worried about posts and power. The debate about who can write governor on their business card on November 25 is the wrong one.

Niko Swatek

As you like to emphasize, you want to tip the scales. If Neos come into government: Would you like to be a state councillor for education?
Government is not an end in itself. Nobody here thinks about posts and power. The debate about who can write governor on their business card on November 25 is the wrong one. Instead, we should be talking about the problems that concern people, including the question of how to boost the economy, which is currently in a slump.

But would you join a government?
We are only prepared to go into government if we realize that the standstill is being broken. If other parties are found that have the courage to finally tackle reforms, then we Neos are ready to join the government. If the focus continues to be on post haggling, free-for-all politics and power politics, I can promise that we will not be part of it. We are certainly not just a majority procurer.

All the polls show that the FPÖ will make strong gains. How do you explain this?
The reason is that politicians have not solved enough problems in recent years. There are only two parties in this country that stand for change. We Neos stand for a positive, optimistic world view, the FPÖ for a pessimistic, very backward-looking world view. The FPÖ is a good fire detector, it sees sources of fire - but cannot put them out.

Some see a duel in the state parliament election campaign, some see a three-way fight at the top: is there a danger that the smaller parties will lose focus and tactical voters will vote for a major party after all?
The last elections clearly show that tactical voting in Austria is useless. Take the Vorarlberg election, for example: Governor Markus Wallner's main narrative was that you absolutely have to vote ÖVP in order to prevent the FPÖ. And now he wants to start coalition talks with the FPÖ. It is therefore important that the people of Styria are aware of which problems need to be solved and who they trust to do so.