FPÖ think tank

Attersee Circle: “Reconstruction plan for Austria”

Herbert Kickl's confidant Norbert Nemeth leads the Attersee Circle - an intellectual think tank of the FPÖ - and publishes the "Attersee Report".

(Bild: Krone KREATIV/picturedesk.com)

This alliance is home to the masterminds in the Freedom Party, with discussions taking place at the highest level in the so-called Attersee Circle. The association is led by Herbert Kickl's confidant Norbert Nemeth. These gentlemen have a very clear opinion of the ÖVP. 

This FPÖ think tank is based in Upper Austria. Herbert Kickl's close confidant Norbert Nemeth heads the Attersee Circle, in which intellectuals discuss the transformation of the FPÖ into the new People's Party.

In the current issue of the "Attersee Report" ("Die aufgeschobene Wende"), which is published at regular intervals and provides space for right-wing authors, Nemeth writes: After five years of a coalition between the ÖVP and the Greens, "Austria really needs a reconstruction plan". The ÖVP is accepting the country's decline in order to save the chancellor's seat. When the current issue was published, the FPÖ was not yet in the game. Now it will begin to put the plans it has been discussing into practice. ÖVP or not.

Order to hold back in this delicate phase
Since Herbert Kickl was given the task of forming a government, the FPÖ has been quiet - even in Upper Austria, where Kickl's deputy as federal leader, Manfred Haimbuchner, is based. The order is to keep a low profile in this delicate phase. When it comes to forming a coalition, our federal state is often cited as an example, even more so than Salzburg, Vorarlberg, Styria or Lower Austria. After all, the FPÖ has ten years' experience of governing with the ÖVP.

Manfred Haimbuchner and FPÖ Federal Chairman Herbert Kickl (right)

(Bild: Werner Kerschbaummayr/FOTOKERSCHI / KERSCHBAUMMAYR)

Change of scene to the SPÖ in Upper Austria: Naturally, the comrades in Upper Austria are keeping a low profile these days and are remaining rather mute when it comes to the failure of the coalition negotiations. There is a good reason for this: the SPÖ's full attention is focused on Linz, where part 1 of the election of the future head of the city will take place on Sunday. Why part 1? Because the party's head office, and therefore its regional managing director Florian Koppler, also assumes that a run-off will be necessary.

Babler comes to Linz next week
Discussions about the failure of government participation in Vienna would not necessarily contribute to calm. But the comrades in Linz need it, as things are not going so badly for top candidate Dietmar Prammer. In the middle of next week, however, things are set to get a little louder again for the SPÖ. A visit by party chairman Andreas Babler to Linz is planned for Wednesday, during which he will once again explain to his Upper Austrian comrades why the ÖVP has failed to win the federal elections.

Andreas Babler started his intensive election campaign before the fall elections in Linz. The SPÖ leader is due to come to Linz next week.

(Bild: ROLAND SCHLAGER)

In addition, Babler (and deputy club leader Philip Kucher?) will be briefed by Upper Austria chairman Alois Stöger on how the search for a successor to Michael Lindner is going. We already know in advance: apparently not in the way that many imagine. Even the logical candidate, Eva-Maria Holzleitner from Wels, has no desire, or rather time, to take over the party in Upper Austria. She is the deputy chairwoman of the party and the number one in the SPÖ women's group - and therefore more than busy. But taking on the provincial party on the side is simply no longer an option.