Upper Austria earns with USA

Trump becomes president: the first reactions from Upper Austria

Since this morning, it is certain: Donald Trump will become the 47th President of the USA. How will his election affect Upper Austria?

(Bild: EPA)

Upper Austrian politicians have also been sitting in front of the television since the early hours of the morning: How will the outcome of the presidential election in the USA affect the economy in Upper Austria? How do politics and business view Donald Trump's victory? The "Krone" spoke to political and business leaders in Upper Austria.

Why is the outcome of the presidential election in the USA so interesting and important for Upper Austria? "The USA is our largest export market after Germany and is still a global economic engine. As such, it has developed surprisingly robustly in recent years," said Doris Hummer, President of the Upper Austrian Chamber of Commerce, in the run-up to the election. The value of Upper Austrian exports to the USA amounted to around 4.1 billion euros in the previous year.

The largest and most influential democracy in the western world has just issued a loud rejection of left-wing social experiments ranging from mass migration to climate extremism and transgender politics, which must also be heard in Europe.

LH-Vize und FPOÖ-Obmann Manfred Haimbuchner

Bild: Wenzel Markus/Markus Wenzel

"Europe is being confronted with unpleasant truths"
It has been clear since Wednesday morning that Donald Trump has won the race in the USA - which some view with concern, but many others also see as an opportunity. The first person to speak out was Manfred Haimbuchner, Vice Governor of the Free Democratic Party, who likes Trump's policies: "The largest and most influential democracy in the Western world has just issued a loud rejection of left-wing social experiments ranging from mass migration to climate extremism and transgender policy, which must also be heard in Europe."

Haimbuchner: "Dismantling the European Union to an organization for economic cooperation."

(Bild: Dostal Harald/© Harald Dostal / 2024)

Haimbuchner also looks to the future: "The coming years will confront Europe with some unpleasant truths regarding our security, energy and economic policy, which must also lead to a rethink in this country. In order to regain our ability to act, we must initiate a shift of competence back to the nation states and a reduction of the European Union to an organization for economic cooperation."

Tariffs, such as those discussed in the US election campaign, are always a stumbling block, especially for export-oriented countries such as Upper Austria.

Landeshauptmann Thomas Stelzer, ÖVP

"The outcome of the election is not surprising. We will see which announcements Trump actually implements. His primary goal is to protect the American economy: tariffs would of course burden our export-oriented industry, but the continued strength of the US dollar, which we expect, will have a supportive effect," says Franz Gasselsberger, CEO of Oberbank.

Stefan Pierer, President of the Federation of Austrian Industries Upper Austria.

(Bild: FOTOKERSCHI.AT)

"A rendezvous with reality, a wake-up call for Austria too"
"Donald Trump's election victory means a rendezvous with reality for Europe - in terms of both economic policy and security policy. Europe needs an Industrial Deal and a Technology Deal in order to be able to react to global challenges and make Europe competitive again," comments Stefan Pierer, President of the Federation of Austrian Industries Upper Austria: "This wake-up call applies not only to the EU, but also to a future Austrian federal government, which must put together a location rescue package."

"I expect Donald Trump to pursue the America First policy more aggressively than Kamala Harris. The concrete effects will already become apparent in the first few months after the inauguration. This makes it all the more important that we in Europe and Austria quickly prepare ourselves for tougher competition.

Doris Hummer, Präsidentin der Wirtschaftskammer OÖ

Bild: Cityfoto/Wolfgang Simlinger

"Tariffs discussed in the USA are a stumbling block for countries like Upper Austria"
Upper Austrian Governor Thomas Stelzer, who only presented the state budget for the coming year with Haimbuchner on Tuesday and lamented the weakening economic development, told the "Krone" newspaper on Wednesday morning: "The USA is the second most important sales market for our companies after Germany, so it is therefore important that the economy there also develops positively. Upper Austria has benefited in the past when the US economy has done well. However, tariffs such as those discussed in the US election campaign are always a stumbling block, especially for export-oriented countries such as Upper Austria. However, it is clear that we have to do our homework here in Austria in order to strengthen our location and economy - that is our top priority."

"In Europe and in Austria, we must quickly prepare ourselves for tougher competition: by reducing taxes, levies and bureaucracy and by providing incentives for investment and innovation. This will not work with a 32-hour week, but only with more performance. This must also be worthwhile," says Doris Hummer.

Let us see this result as a wake-up call. America First now urgently needs to be countered by a Europe First policy: It really is high time for Austria and Europe to invest in their own independence - from energy supply and competitiveness to security policy.

Franz Gasselsberger, Generaldirektor der Oberbank

Bild: Wenzel Markus

Werner Pamminger, Managing Director of the Upper Austrian business location agency Business Upper Austria, remains vague: "The USA is an extremely important market for Upper Austria and of course the most important geographical player of all. Our industry and economy will therefore have to monitor every change closely in order to be able to react flexibly."

"From voestalpine's perspective, what is needed above all is a rapid trade policy consensus between the USA and the EU in order to restore planning certainty for companies on both sides of the Atlantic," says Herbert Eibensteiner, Chairman of the Management Board of voestalpine.

The clear election result shows that the big issues of affordable living and security must be tackled head-on by the political center - without hatred and exclusion"

SPOÖ-Chef Michael Lindner war erst kürzlich in den USA bei einer Veranstaltung der unterlegenen Kamala Harris

Bild: Dostal Harald

Upper Austrian Provincial Councillor and SPÖ leader Michael Lindner was in the USA with party colleagues just the week before to observe the election campaign. Even then, he assumed that Trump was in the lead.

Cheering on Kamala Harris in Washington the previous week: SPÖ regional managing director Florian Koppler, party leader Michael Lindner and 3rd President of the regional parliament Peter Binder (from left).

(Bild: Krone KREATIV/SPÖ)

After Trump's victory, he told the "Krone" newspaper: "This shift to the right in the USA will have serious consequences for women's rights. The threat of economic isolation will damage Upper Austria as an industrial location. A European and Austrian industrial strategy is more necessary than ever to secure our jobs."