Who's in charge?

“Center” course: FPÖ grandees rebuke Stocker

Stocker should be aware of his role as junior partner, the FPÖ demands.

(Bild: APA/HELMUT FOHRINGER)

After the blue-black coalition was able to quickly agree on a restructuring plan for the budget, things are now really rumbling. The government negotiations are increasingly stalling. A central accusation of the Freedom Party: The ÖVP is overestimating its role.

After the government negotiations between the FPÖ and ÖVP have already rumbled a little this week, several Freedom Party state leaders are following suit. First and foremost, the blue deputy party leader Marlene Svazek criticized the acting ÖVP leader Christian Stocker. "Anyone who wants to negotiate seriously and earnestly does so in the designated framework," said Svazek on Saturday, accusing Stocker of "going it alone in the media" due to a background discussion with journalists.

In a press release, the Deputy Governor of Salzburg, who is also involved in the federal negotiations, stated that she "strictly rejects any communication of positions or results via the media".

FPÖ: ÖVP is now junior partner
The ÖVP was "not elected as the strongest party on September 29" and will "have to accept the changed circumstances", Svazek said. Aligning who had to move where would not bring any negotiating advantage, even as a junior partner. "On the contrary".

Stocker has his eye on him: FPÖ leader Herbert Kickl

(Bild: AFP/Alex HALADA)

"Stocker can also be sure that the FPÖ not only represents the center of society, but also pursues liberal policies for our middle class, for our families and for all hard-working Austrians," replied Svazek. The FPÖ wants to take responsibility and will "continue to hold serious and constructive discussions in the negotiating groups", she said.

"Anyone who is serious about future cooperation in the interests of the Austrians will work on this at the negotiating table." Criticism also came from Vienna and Lower Austria. The blue party leaders Dominik Nepp and Udo Landbauer echoed Svazek's criticism.

"Governing with the ÖVP does not mean governing like the ÖVP," said the Deputy Governor of Lower Austria. The Freedom Party is the "center" and would impress with "honesty". According to Nepp, Stocker's statements show that the ÖVP must first find its new role. "But now is the time for serious negotiations. The election campaign is over," criticized the Viennese FPÖ chairman.

ÖVP Secretary General Alexander Pröll responded a little later on behalf of his party: "There is no point in losing your nerve now." Everyone should keep a cool head. It was clear that the People's Party represented "the center". The negotiations will show whether the ÖVP and FPÖ can meet in the middle.

ÖVP demands "center" course from FPÖ
The debate was initiated by Stocker. The black party leader had invited people to a background discussion on Thursday afternoon. He demanded that the FPÖ move "from the right to the center", otherwise a government with the ÖVP would not be possible.

The Documentation Archive of Austrian Resistance (DÖW) recently revealed numerous links between the FPÖ and the extreme right-wing milieu. The party is part of the so-called "mosaic right". According to the report, the nationalist milieu, which also includes student fraternities, is a traditional "pillar of Austrian right-wing extremism". The right-wing extremism report is part of the Turkish-Green government program. It was reintroduced after a good 20 years.

Stocker now demanded a clear commitment to the EU, security and national defense, the rule of law, liberal democracy, media freedom and the fight against anti-Semitism. Stocker did not mention any concrete red lines or details of the negotiations. Nevertheless, he is likely to have struck a nerve ...