The 2012 Austrian Election Interlude: The rise of Frank Stronach and more ...

[Swedish Rainbow Capitalist Cheese]

And, what Austrians want their government to do most:

89% Cut spending
87% Tougher rules and more integrity in the political and business sector
84% reduce the debt
83% reduce and punish Social Security abuse
76% constitutional balanced budget and debt amendment

When did Austria turn into the Republican party?

Also very sursprising 30% of Austrians want a United States of Europe. Didn't think that idea would break 10% popular support.

[Swedish Rainbow Capitalist Cheese]

And, what Austrians want their government to do most:

89% Cut spending
87% Tougher rules and more integrity in the political and business sector
84% reduce the debt
83% reduce and punish Social Security abuse
76% constitutional balanced budget and debt amendment

When did Austria turn into the Republican party?

Also very sursprising 30% of Austrians want a United States of Europe. Didn't think that idea would break 10% popular support.

I think a good deal of Green and ÖVP voters would be in favor of this. The ÖVP people mostly because they see good business opportunities in a future United States of Europe.

Yeah but still, 30%? That's just seven points below the number of people who said they liked the Euro...

[Swedish Rainbow Capitalist Cheese]

Austria has the most strange political culture and landscape of any western democracy I can think off.

The populist anti-immigration parties tends to be strong with the youth everywhere in Europe, but Austria seems to be at rediculous levels. How come the SPÖ and ÖVP completly fails to have any sort of youth structure and support at all. From what I understand they don't even seem to see it as a problem and do something about it.

 

[Swedish Rainbow Capitalist Cheese]

Ah yes, importing voters. A classical method of growing your vote-share.

I'm still surprised not more is done to win over young voters though. Looking at Sweden we also have an aging population and although pensioners are seen as the biggest price to win the establishment parties do a lot to reach out to young voters.

(Well not KD, but then they are a special intrest party for conservative olds, and see how well it's going for them)

[Swedish Rainbow Capitalist Cheese]

The only 2 that have positive ratings are Sebastian Kurz (Secretary of State for Immigration & Integration), who is the youngest member of government in the history of Austria.

He's quite cute I must say. Although he looks like the typicalcocky  upper-class kid you also find in Swedish politics who people find really annoying. What's he like politically?

[Swedish Rainbow Capitalist Cheese]

Here's a portrait of him if you understand some German:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qsKHsP-BYPY

Seems like my sort of politician. I'm guessing he's a quite likly ÖVP leader sometime in the future.

Anyway, besides the fact the President has said he'd never appoint such an government, what's the liklyhood of an FPÖ-ÖVP coalition after the next election?

[Swedish Rainbow Capitalist Cheese]

If SPÖVP fail to reach a majority, is a SPÖVP + Greens coalition a possibility?
 

[Swedish Rainbow Capitalist Cheese]

Austrian politicians never say which coalitions they prefer ahead of an election.

Do they really need to though, it's always SPÖVP. You guys seem to like your grand coalitions more than even Sweden loves Social Democrats.

[Swedish Rainbow Capitalist Cheese]

If the Pirates let the FPO become the largest party, will Pirate voters realise how innane their opinion is?

I rather think most Pirate voters couldn't care less which party comes out on top.
If anything they might prefer FPÖ on top, after all the far-right and the pirates share the same demographic base, young working-class males who dislike/distrust the establishment.

[Swedish Rainbow Capitalist Cheese]

When will Stronach's new party get a name?

[Swedish Rainbow Capitalist Cheese]

A new party has been founded in Austria today: "NEOS - The new Austria"

Sounds like one of those annoying "increased spending with lower taxes" party that promise everything to everyone, a.k.a. pre-coalition LibDems. When xenophobic parties says it they at-least pretend they can make up the difference by cutting immigration.

Not to mention their proposed election-system sounds awful. I'm all for abolishing unnecessary second chambers though.