"Krone" commentary

After 30 years of EU membership …

Analyzed for the "Krone": Andreas Mölzer

(Bild: stock.adobe.com, Krone KREATIV)

Exactly three decades ago, our country joined the European Union, and according to representative surveys, approval of EU membership is once again at an all-time low: only 60 percent of Austrians believe that we should definitely stay in the Union, 25 percent are in favor of leaving and 15 percent have no opinion.

ON THE ONE HAND it is said that our country has benefited greatly from membership, especially in economic terms.

ON THE OTHER hand, it is of course completely uncertain whether Austria - like Switzerland - could not have prospered without membership in the narrower sense through special agreements with Brussels.

And as far as the motives of those people who are not in favor of the country's continued membership of the EU are concerned, it is said to be insecure and anti-social. Unsafe, probably, because official Brussels is currently blatantly pursuing a course of war against Russia.

Commission President von der Leyen and EU Foreign Affairs Commissioner Kallas seem to think little of peace negotiations. And the neutral Austrians, in turn, think little of this. And probably antisocial, because all too often the lobbyists of multinational corporations set the direction in Brussels, without regard for the people.

So it remains to be seen whether Brussels is capable of a political change of direction, of reforms that could bring the Union closer to the people.