Heated debate on Europe

“FPÖ wants out of the EU and back to the schilling”

SPÖ European spokesperson Jörg Leichtfried sharply criticized the FPÖ's anti-EU stance.

(Bild: APA/GEORG HOCHMUTH)

In a "Current Europe Hour" in the National Council on Wednesday, the FPÖ criticized the EU for alleged warmongering, mass migration, centralism and "Teuro instead of Schilling". Jörg Leichtfried (SPÖ) responded by accusing the Freedom Party of wanting to get out of the EU and back to the schilling. 

FPÖ MEP Susanne Fürst began by calling for the EU climate targets to be abandoned and for the single market to be "rescued". This is what the population would want, she said, recalling the popularity of the FPÖ in the EU elections in June.

Bringing in millions of foreigners has disrupted social cohesion.

FPÖ-Abgeordnete Susanne Fürst

The EU has dramatically lost economic ground to the USA and Asia, she criticized. The attempt to "save the planet" through climate policy would also increase heating costs and lead to rationing in the future. Bringing in "millions of foreigners" was also disrupting social cohesion, and the "war policy" - which the FPÖ refers to in relation to the EU's Ukraine policy - represented a low point.

Edtstadler: FPÖ plays on people's fears
It is clear to everyone except the FPÖ that there can only be joint solutions to the current problems, Edtstadler said. The Freedom Party would unabashedly play on people's fears and advocate a "retro policy". A change of course is indeed needed - towards more security, defense capability and protection of the external borders against illegal migration - but this has already been initiated.

Green MEP Meri Disoski, who had an EU flag with her, also said that nation states going it alone would not solve problems. She accused the FPÖ of pursuing "small-minded nationalism" and wanting to "kneel" before Putin while Ukrainian children are abducted.

"Cheap populism"
 SPÖ European spokesperson Jörg Leichtfried commented on the FPÖ's criticism of the EU as "unworthy, dubious and simply unbelievable". It is "cheap populism" to simply want to throw away European achievements such as the single market, the Erasmus program or freedom of travel.

NEOS leader Beate Meinl-Reisinger also emphasized the "enormous economic advantages" of the EU. The Freedom Party would want an "Öxit", but knew that they would not have the people on their side.