…just not at the head of a column of Panzers, this time:
As with Germany and France, losers big and small immediately decided they wouldn’t play with the party that had pulled nearly 30% of the votes cast or let the FPO ‘win’ at all. They moved to form a coalition to ice the Freedom Party out of government.
Like the National Rally in France (and the AfD in Germany — K.), all other ruling parties are uniting to keep the FPÖ out of government.
Hasn’t worked in Austria, either:
The announcement came more than three months after the legislative election on September 29. In that, the FPÖ, led by Herbert Kickl, emerged as the most popular party with 28.8 per cent of the vote.
The FPÖ had been unable to form a government due to a political cordon sanitaire imposed by other parties, labelling it as “far-right”. The ÖVP finished second with 26.3 per cent, followed by the Social Democratic Party (SPÖ) with 21.1 per cent. The FPÖ has however taken part in previous government coalitions, the last time being 2019 (with ÖVP).
Austria’s President, Alexander Van der Bellen, a member of the Green Party and a vocal critic of Kickl, announced on January 5 that he would meet with the FPÖ leader on January 6.
In a brief televised address, Van der Bellen acknowledged that opposition within the ÖVP on collaboration with Kickl had softened after Nehammer’s resignation. “I have used the last few hours to speak to numerous political decision-makers. During these discussions, the picture emerged that the voices within the People’s Party that rule out cooperation with an FPÖ under Herbert Kickl have become significantly quieter,” he said.
In an emergency meeting following Nehammer’s decision, the ÖVP leadership appointed Christian Stocker, the party’s general secretary, as interim president. The ÖVP also expressed its willingness to negotiate with the FPÖ to form a coalition.
So off they go, kicking and screaming, into a political future that puts Austrian citizens first, and immigrants second.
Like the Germans, like the French, and for a bonus, like the Canuckis as well.
Of our own MAGA revolution we will not speak.
Hubba hubba.
