Fascists In Central Europe #3 - Austria

[Nefertiti2]

Who could predict the consequences of putting Neo Nazis in charge of the Austrian Home Office and Foreign Office?

[ursus arctos]

Well, to be fair, I'm quite sure that there have always been some in each of those departments.

And while handing control of them over to die soziale Heimatpartei (their own description) was only going to make things worse, I'm genuinely surprised that they've gone this far.

Central Europe is rather bleak at the moment.

[ursus arctos]

Cross posts from another thread that fit better here

Next door to Orban, but Süddeutsche Zeitung have conducted a comprehensive sting on Heinz-Christian Strache, the leader of Austria's Freedom Party. They convinced a young woman to pose as the niece of a Russian oligarch, promising extensive funding to influence the results of the upcoming general election last year, and in turn, he divulged his wish to muzzle the Austrian media.

Strache has resigned and Freedom's coalition partner is calling for new elections

[Nefertiti2]

[URL]https://twitter.com/yorksranter/status/1129804334089277441?s=21[/URL]

[ursus arctos]

It will be interesting to see if "Freedom" are punished for this at the elections. I wouldn't expect that many of their supporters have a real issue with Orban or his policies, but Strache has offended Austrian notions of decorum.

Without a real shift from them to the traditional conservatives, it will be very difficult to form a government, given that they have ruled out a grand coalition.

[ad hoc]

Is there a "Fascists in Central Europe #4 - Poland" thread? Or do i need to start one?

[ursus arctos]

All of "Freedom"s ministers have now resigned from the government, calling into question Kurz' hope that the elections can be held in the fall.

[ursus arctos]

Kurz has lost a no confidence vote brought by the Socialists and "Freedom".

So Austria will have a technocratic government until new elections in the fall.

[Sporting]

Not sure the link works.

[ursus arctos]

Trying again

https://twitter.com/europeelects/status/1175478839755116544

[Diable Rouge]

A rare good Central European election (no fan of Kurz, but we'll take it):

https://twitter.com/EuropeElects/status/1178334000940818437

[Diable Rouge]

https://twitter.com/EuropeElects/status/1178327496250597376

[Etienne]

So what now?

[Diable Rouge]

Basically, Kurz has his choice of coalition partners - Freedom Party say they want to go into opposition, so Greens would be the logical choice.

[Etienne]

Be a surprising move for the Greens given how right wing Kurz's policies are, though I don't know anything about the Austrian Greens. Neos would seem a better fit, though that obviously doesn't give a majority.

[Wouter D]

They might go for ÖVP+NEOS+GRÜNE, which would be a bit of a weird combination, but loads better than the alternative ÖVP+FPÖ sequel.

[Diable Rouge]

Shifts in voting patterns:

https://twitter.com/EuropeElects/status/1178382051256541184

[Wouter D]

The stream of FPÖ voters who didn't bother this time is assuring. That is the effect that a scandal such as the one in which they were embroiled should have on the voting public.

[Etienne]

Yeah, though it doesn't appear that OVP lost many voters by going into coalition with the FPO.

[Diable Rouge]

Yeah, though it doesn't appear that OVP lost many voters by going into coalition with the FPO.

Largely because Kurz stole their clothes.