"Keep a cool head"

Mahrer: “Austria must not close itself off”

Not only the Chamber of Commerce, but also Austrians believe that good international trade relations are important for Austria.

(Bild: stock.adobe.com/tanaonte)

Harald Mahrer, head of the Chamber of Commerce, appeals to the future government that the country must remain internationally oriented. He is basing this on a survey which shows that Austrians do not want to be outsiders in the EU.

International reputation is an important asset for Austrians. According to a survey of over 1,000 respondents commissioned by the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber, 92% of Austrians believe that reputation is important for international trade relations.

For WKO President Harald Mahrer, the result is above all a message to the future government between the FPÖ and ÖVP: "Exports are the lifeline of our economy. Our reputation on the international stage should not be gambled with. Our exports are oriented towards the West and must remain so. Because our most important growth markets are in the West - and that has always been the case."

Exports are the lifeline of our economy. Our reputation on the international stage should not be gambled with. The Austrians don't want that either.

Wirtschaftskammer-Präsident Harald Mahrer über seine Erwartungen an die Koalition

Bild: Urbantschitsch Mario

Obviously a hidden allusion to the FPÖ's affinity with Russia, which is insisting on a quick end to the sanctions. The economic data show: Russian tourists may have left a lot of money in the country in recent years, but Russia was not of great relevance for exports.

Of course, the timing of the survey was not chosen at random by the Chamber of Commerce. Against this backdrop, coalition negotiations are currently underway in Austria, and in the USA - Austria's most important trading partner - US President Donald Trump is threatening punitive tariffs.

(Bild: Krone KREATIV)

The survey also shows that 88% are convinced that a good international image is crucial when exporting Austrian products abroad. For 80 percent of Austrians, in turn, it is important that the country's representatives are internationally respected. In other words, citizens reject an outsider image.

This statement confirms Mahrer's assumption that Austrians are internationally oriented and do not want a policy of isolation. "We cannot afford to seal ourselves off," warns Mahrer preemptively. Does the FPÖ see it the same way?

Negotiators must now "keep a cool head"
However, the coalition is on the brink. Both parties are currently flexing their muscles as to who should get the most important ministries in the new coalition. Mahrer is appealing to the negotiators to "keep a cool head".

The succus of this survey is clear to the President of the Chamber of Commerce: experiments with Austria's good reputation are met with widespread rejection in this country.

Incidentally, in a survey on krone.at, 64 percent of the just over 40,000 participants were convinced that Austria's reputation is suffering as a result of the current political chaos.