A day trip last weekend plus an interesting lecture today on the future of Europe in a Trump-Musk world, featuring commentary by Orban's top political advisor.
The FPÖ did not win the vote. 70% of Austrians voted against the FPÖ. That’s how parliamentary democracy works. The other political parties have every political and moral right not to form a coalition with the FPÖ. It’s just absurd right wing propaganda to say the FPÖ won and now Kickl must be coronated Volkskanzler. The problem is the other parties are so adverse to reform and losing their institutional privileges that they keep tripping over their own dicks. Tactically, yes, there is a good argument that it makes sense for the ÖVP to join a coalition now, and let the FPÖ make it itself less popular by failing to deliver. A coalition government would have allowed the FPÖ to continue to snipe from the sidelines in a difficult economic environment and probably win an even larger plurality, possibly even a true majority, next time around. I agree with that argument but it doesn’t require buying into Kickl’s anti-constitutional nonsense.
Tanja thank you for writing this, your take on things is always so interesting.
The FPÖ did not win the vote. 70% of Austrians voted against the FPÖ. That’s how parliamentary democracy works. The other political parties have every political and moral right not to form a coalition with the FPÖ. It’s just absurd right wing propaganda to say the FPÖ won and now Kickl must be coronated Volkskanzler. The problem is the other parties are so adverse to reform and losing their institutional privileges that they keep tripping over their own dicks. Tactically, yes, there is a good argument that it makes sense for the ÖVP to join a coalition now, and let the FPÖ make it itself less popular by failing to deliver. A coalition government would have allowed the FPÖ to continue to snipe from the sidelines in a difficult economic environment and probably win an even larger plurality, possibly even a true majority, next time around. I agree with that argument but it doesn’t require buying into Kickl’s anti-constitutional nonsense.