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

[Insula Dei]

My completely unfounded guess:

ÖVP and SPÖ within 1 % of one another.
The ÖVP-FPÖ swing will detemine the biggest party.

[Insula Dei]

Is the ÖVP centrist, centre-right or rightwing?

The number of SPOVP coalitions seems to suggest a more moderate party.

[Insula Dei]

Nasty stuff.

My condoleances Tender.

[Insula Dei]

I think you should start a new thread for those as it's no longer 2011.

And, the Salzburg personal  ratings seem okay for the SPÖ. Am I correct?

[Insula Dei]

I'm so glad I'm not Austrian, right now

[Insula Dei]

How come younger voters are so fascist, weirdly sympathetic to the FPÖ? I could understand a broader trend being exaggerated, but this is just hilarious,...

[Insula Dei]

The OVP and FPO formed a coalition from 1999-2002. The OVP led the coalition despite coming third in the popular vote (barely), although OVP and FPO had the same number of seats. The FPO vote collapsed in 2002; the key to loosening their grip on the youth vote is probably to have them in government again.

Also, in response to the question, in 1999 there was a riot about the FPÖ taking place in a coalition government and the backlash it created troughout the EU, but today most EU nations themselves have egg on their faces, as evidenced by the EU's silence on the de facto presence of Wilders in the Dutch government.

[Insula Dei]

That picture makes Strache look like an evil bastard. Seriously, couldn't he try to not look like a horribly corrupt dictator holding his speech at the party congress while being cheered by the delegates?

[Insula Dei]

Martin Graf fallout

Martin Graf (FPÖ), Third President of the National Council, elected with votes from SPÖ and ÖVP despite of being a member f Burschenschaft Olympia a right-wing fraternity, that invites people like David Irving and a songwriter, famous for songs like "With 6 million Jews the fun just begins". He apparently swindled a 90-year old lady. She was convinced to bring all her assets into a foundation and make Graf the head of it. He used this foundation to buy a building in an upper-class district, in which "Cafe-Restaurant Graf" is located. The name is no coincidence, it's operated by his brother and he himself holds shares. The rent is not always paid in time, but the foundation has been very generous, at least to them. The former millionaire got a payout of 5000 Euros in 2011, and not a single cent in 2012.

Classy.

One is reminded of FN senator Michel Delacroix's attempt at musical fame.

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xbg18a_un-depute-du-front-national-belge-c_news

Philippe Moureaux was near tears with disgust when it was discussed in the Senate, which forever increased my opinion of him.


(For those of you who don't speak any French, the section of the song in the video roughly translates to:

My little jewess is in Dachau
She is in the quicklime
She has left her Ghetto
To be burned alive.)

[Insula Dei]

Sometimes the FPÖ just boggles the mind.