Austrian Elections & Politics 4.0

[Tender Branson]

The direct democracy farce of ÖVP-FPÖ:

Yesterday, the signature collection period for 3 major parliamentary initiatives ended and one of these so-called "Volksbegehren" (the anti-smoking petition) received almost 900.000 signatures from eligible voters. That is 14% of eligible voters.

There was also a feminist initiative up for signing and one to abolish mandatory fees for the public ORF broadcaster.

I signed the anti-smoking initiative and the feminist initiative for full women's equality.

The anti-smoking initiative is targeted against the ÖVP-FPÖ government, who killed the smoking ban in restaurants a few months ago. A very unpopular decision.

Interestingly, the FPÖ ahead of the 2017 election said that petition drives receiving at least 200.000 signatures should lead to referendums. The ÖVP argued for at least 500.000 signatures.

After the election, ÖVP+FPÖ agreed somewhere in the middle and put a threshold of 900.000 signatures for automatic referendums in their coalition contract (after 2022). LOL.

The anti-smoking initiative received 882.000 signatures, 18.000 short of the government's 900k threshold, so ÖVP+FPÖ of course said that there will be no referendum on this issue ...

https://derstandard.at/2000088935716/Frauenvolksbegehren-kommt-auf-knapp-eine-halbe-Million-Unterschriften

[Omega21]

The direct democracy farce of ÖVP-FPÖ:

Yesterday, the signature collection period for 3 major parliamentary initiatives ended and one of these so-called "Volksbegehren" (the anti-smoking petition) received almost 900.000 signatures from eligible voters. That is 14% of eligible voters.

There was also a feminist initiative up for signing and one to abolish mandatory fees for the public ORF broadcaster.

I signed the anti-smoking initiative and the feminist initiative for full women's equality.

The anti-smoking initiative is targeted against the ÖVP-FPÖ government, who killed the smoking ban in restaurants a few months ago. A very unpopular decision.

Interestingly, the FPÖ ahead of the 2017 election said that petition drives receiving at least 200.000 signatures should lead to referendums. The ÖVP argued for at least 500.000 signatures.

After the election, ÖVP+FPÖ agreed somewhere in the middle and put a threshold of 900.000 signatures for automatic referendums in their coalition contract (after 2022). LOL.

The anti-smoking initiative received 882.000 signatures, 18.000 short of the government's 900k threshold, so ÖVP+FPÖ of course said that there will be no referendum on this issue ...

https://derstandard.at/2000088935716/Frauenvolksbegehren-kommt-auf-knapp-eine-halbe-Million-Unterschriften

Well, there shouldn't.

What is the point of a threshold if it's not upheld...

The Feminist initiative is nothing but virtue signalling since as far as I am aware, every single right that is afforded to a man is afforded to a woman.

Could you help clarify what the vote is actually about?

[Tender Branson]

The direct democracy farce of ÖVP-FPÖ:

Yesterday, the signature collection period for 3 major parliamentary initiatives ended and one of these so-called "Volksbegehren" (the anti-smoking petition) received almost 900.000 signatures from eligible voters. That is 14% of eligible voters.

There was also a feminist initiative up for signing and one to abolish mandatory fees for the public ORF broadcaster.

I signed the anti-smoking initiative and the feminist initiative for full women's equality.

The anti-smoking initiative is targeted against the ÖVP-FPÖ government, who killed the smoking ban in restaurants a few months ago. A very unpopular decision.

Interestingly, the FPÖ ahead of the 2017 election said that petition drives receiving at least 200.000 signatures should lead to referendums. The ÖVP argued for at least 500.000 signatures.

After the election, ÖVP+FPÖ agreed somewhere in the middle and put a threshold of 900.000 signatures for automatic referendums in their coalition contract (after 2022). LOL.

The anti-smoking initiative received 882.000 signatures, 18.000 short of the government's 900k threshold, so ÖVP+FPÖ of course said that there will be no referendum on this issue ...

https://derstandard.at/2000088935716/Frauenvolksbegehren-kommt-auf-knapp-eine-halbe-Million-Unterschriften

Well, there shouldn't.

What is the point of a threshold if it's not upheld...

The Feminist initiative is nothing but virtue signalling since as far as I am aware, every single right that is afforded to a man is afforded to a woman.

Could you help clarify what the vote is actually about?

Please read my post: the FPÖ said ahead of the election that 200k signatures should be enough for a referendum and now they are bitching around because of 18.000 votes ...

Also, for the demands of the women's equality initiative, read here:

https://newsv2.orf.at/stories/2425430/2425567

[Omega21]

The direct democracy farce of ÖVP-FPÖ:

Yesterday, the signature collection period for 3 major parliamentary initiatives ended and one of these so-called "Volksbegehren" (the anti-smoking petition) received almost 900.000 signatures from eligible voters. That is 14% of eligible voters.

There was also a feminist initiative up for signing and one to abolish mandatory fees for the public ORF broadcaster.

I signed the anti-smoking initiative and the feminist initiative for full women's equality.

The anti-smoking initiative is targeted against the ÖVP-FPÖ government, who killed the smoking ban in restaurants a few months ago. A very unpopular decision.

Interestingly, the FPÖ ahead of the 2017 election said that petition drives receiving at least 200.000 signatures should lead to referendums. The ÖVP argued for at least 500.000 signatures.

After the election, ÖVP+FPÖ agreed somewhere in the middle and put a threshold of 900.000 signatures for automatic referendums in their coalition contract (after 2022). LOL.

The anti-smoking initiative received 882.000 signatures, 18.000 short of the government's 900k threshold, so ÖVP+FPÖ of course said that there will be no referendum on this issue ...

https://derstandard.at/2000088935716/Frauenvolksbegehren-kommt-auf-knapp-eine-halbe-Million-Unterschriften

Well, there shouldn't.

What is the point of a threshold if it's not upheld...

The Feminist initiative is nothing but virtue signalling since as far as I am aware, every single right that is afforded to a man is afforded to a woman.

Could you help clarify what the vote is actually about?

Please read my post: the FPÖ said ahead of the election that 200k signatures should be enough for a referendum and now they are bitching around because of 18.000 votes ...

Also, for the demands of the women's equality initiative, read here:

https://newsv2.orf.at/stories/2425430/2425567

Damn it, Austria is going full SJW...

There should be equal opportunity, not equality of outcome.

Having a penis or vagina is no criteria in politics or business.

[Tender Branson]

Jörg Haider (FPÖ) died today 10 years ago in a car "accident" ... (conspiracy theories are still around).

[Tender Branson]

ÖVP-FPÖ have finally given up completely on blocking the implementation of gay marriage before it will become legal on Jan. 1st, 2019.

In a joint press statement today, ÖVP-FPÖ representatives argued that "there's no way left for them to deny gays and lesbians the right to marry".



In the last weeks, they apparently tried to persuade the opposition SPÖ, NEOS and List Pilz to vote with them in parliament to enshrine hetero marriage in the constitution with a 2/3 vote ! But unsurprisingly they said "No" (lol).

Even the Catholic Church tried a last-minute approach to influence ÖVP-FPÖ recently.

This means the Constitutional Court order will take effect, despite the conservative-nationalist government being opposed. But the people approve (3/4 of them, even a majority of FPÖ voters).

https://derstandard.at/2000089162016/Ehe-und-Partnerschaft-fuer-alle-fix-Regierung-verzichtet-auf-Regelung

[Tender Branson]

Chancellor Kurz (ÖVP) will deliver a speech to several hundred ÖVP-supporters today on the 1-year anniversary of their federal election win.

In the speech he will outline their achievements over the past year and highlight goals for the next year.

Among them:

* an end to decades of debt (= a budget surplus next year and down to less than 60% debt).

* work on a big middle-class tax reform next year which takes effect in 2020, while a child-tax benefit of 1800€ per child will start on Jan. 1, 2019. The goal is to decrease the tax burden of Austrians to below 40% of GDP.

* slim down administrative spending to make it more efficient, saving a lot "within the system".

* education reform (better and more German integration classes for young students with a migrant background, so they can better follow the regular lessons later on and have less problems in the labour market in later years).

* reduction of immigrants immigrating primarily into the welfare system, rather than providing for themselves.

* reduction of unemployment by 100.000 persons over the next 4 years.

* keep up the harmonious work ethic with the coalition partner FPÖ, because the people have voted out the previous dysfunctional government, which was constantly fighting each other.

https://derstandard.at/2000089237833/Kurz-Rede-Der-Kanzler-der-nicht-mehr-streiten-mag

[Tender Branson]

The new OGM poll for the "Kurier" (OGM is the best pollster in Austria) has the government in good shape after 1 year in office:



ÖVP-FPÖ approval rating: 58-39 approve

Chancellor Kurz (ÖVP) approval rating: 59-35 approve

Vice-Chancellor Strache (FPÖ) approval rating: 45-51 disapprove

https://kurier.at/politik/inland/ein-jahr-tuerkis-blau-gute-noten-fuer-regierungsarbeit-und-kanzler-kurz/400145045

[Umengus]

The new OGM poll for the "Kurier" (OGM is the best pollster in Austria) has the government in good shape after 1 year in office:



ÖVP-FPÖ approval rating: 58-39 approve

Chancellor Kurz (ÖVP) approval rating: 59-35 approve

Vice-Chancellor Strache (FPÖ) approval rating: 45-51 disapprove

https://kurier.at/politik/inland/ein-jahr-tuerkis-blau-gute-noten-fuer-regierungsarbeit-und-kanzler-kurz/400145045

a little surprised by the "weak" SPD number and "good" FPO result.

[Tender Branson]

Norbert Hofer (FPÖ, Transport & Infrastructure Minister) has announced that he'll run for President again in 2022.



https://derstandard.at/2000089321974/Hofer-will-2022-noch-einmal-Bundespraesident-werden

Hofer will face a much tougher environment in 2022 than he did in 2016, when he came close to winning the Presidency: the migration crisis is being brought under control, Van der Bellen will be an incumbent with growing popularity over the years. Besides, ÖVP and SPÖ could run their own candidates besides VdB and Hofer, so it's not even sure if Hofer makes the 2nd round.

The only chance I see for Hofer is if VdB decides to retire after one term and the ÖVP-FPÖ government remains popular until 2022 ...

[Tender Branson]

A little surprised by the "weak" SPD number and "good" FPO result.

Yeah, not the best numbers to start with.

But Pamela Rendi-Wagner will only become new party leader on Nov. 24-25th, so there's still some room left for her to gain. But on the other hand, the SPÖ has shown to voters recently that they are also a really chaotic party ...

For the next months, ÖVP+FPÖ are certainly not threatened by the SPÖ and the other opposition parties.

[Tender Branson]

For the Austrian Greens, it's back to the roots:

After being removed from parliament by the voters a year ago (= politically bankrupt), they also went financially bankrupt (they invested huge sums into the Presidential campaign of VdB (who succeeded) and then into the federal election campaign, leaving debts of 2.5 million € (which they are now re-paying over several years).



But for future campaigns, they have 0€ left. Being kicked out of parliament, they have no public party financing anymore (except for their 2 remaining MPs in the Bundesrat, but that's not a lot). There's also funding for their state parties and that is quite a lot, but this money needs to be spent in the states and cannot be transferred to the federal party.

This is why they are now starting a crowdfunding effort, in which party members and (wealthy) Green-minded donors can help them out in the coming years.

It also seems that the Greens recently moved away from their snob-ishness and they are focusing more on their original issues again: environmentalism, combating child poverty, affordable housing and a liveable welfare system and pro-women policy.

It was good that they were kicked out last year, but it would also be good for our democracy if they are getting back in in 2022, renewed and back to their roots (instead of the completely whacko version of 2015-17).

https://derstandard.at/2000089511022/Gruene-bitten-um-Geld-Crowdfunding-Kampagne-gestartet

[Tender Branson]

New Research Affairs poll for Ö24:



https://www.oe24.at/oesterreich/politik/Umfrage-Daempfer-fuer-Rendi/352765477

[Tender Branson]

Chancellor Kurz made it onto the Oct. 26 cover of "Newsweek":



Article:

https://www.newsweek.com/2018/10/26/sebastian-kurz-young-austrians-see-themselves-their-chancellor-1173607.html

[TheSaint250]

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[Tender Branson]

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Yeah, that is absurd.

Kurz has done nothing whatsoever to weaken parliamentary democracy. He's no Orban or Putin.

It's more the fact that the left-wing opposition in Austria right now is a chaotic mess and quite incompetent. Kurz and Strache don't really have to do anything right now or could even have some minor f**kups and their support would still not go down by much ...

[Tender Branson]

Salzburg's new state government (ÖVP-Greens-NEOS) has presented the budget for 2019, which will be balanced and lead to another reduction of debt by at least 7 million € (after debt was already reduced by 500 million in the past 5 years):



There will be more money for road repairs (the sum will be doubled from 8 to 17 million €), a state-wide public transport ticket for around 600€ per year (but if you only need a ticket for 1 district, it's for 365€ a year, a longtime Green demand).

More money also for social issues, such as old-age care and for disabled people, childcare and the environment + housing. Development aid for abroad will be increased from 300.000€ to 1 million €.

https://diepresse.com/home/innenpolitik/5515982/Salzburg-will-mehr-Geld-fuer-Pflege-und-Verkehrsmittel-ausgeben

[Tender Branson]

The SPÖ continues to be incredibly stupid and remains a chaotic mess:

Background: the SPÖ recently voted internally about their EU election list. The planned ranking was man, woman, man, woman, man, woman and so on.

But the Carinthia-SPÖ, led by the powerful and influential Governor Peter Kaiser, presented a man for the 6th spot on the list instead of a woman.

And not only that: that man was his son, Luca Kaiser. The son also had some controversial Twitter postings lately, in which he referred to Austria as a "Nazion" (= Nazi Nation).



This was enough for the other SPÖ-committee members (=> nepotism) and they rejected Luca Kaiser and instead installed Julia Herr (= leader of the Young Socialists) as 6th on the list.



Governor Kaiser from Carinthia is now fuming, lamenting that the Carinthia-SPÖ had the best election result this year with 48% and one of the best results in the federal election last year.

https://derstandard.at/2000089762700/Peter-Kaiser-denkt-laut-ueber-Rueckzug-als-SPOe-Vizeparteichef-nach

[Omega21]

The SPÖ continues to be incredibly stupid and remains a chaotic mess:

Background: the SPÖ recently voted internally about their EU election list. The planned ranking was man, woman, man, woman, man, woman and so on.

But the Carinthia-SPÖ, led by the powerful and influential Governor Peter Kaiser, presented a man for the 6th spot on the list instead of a woman.

And not only that: that man was his son, Luca Kaiser. The son also had some controversial Twitter postings lately, in which he referred to Austria as a "Nazion" (= Nazi Nation).



This was enough for the other SPÖ-committee members (=> nepotism) and they rejected Luca Kaiser and instead installed Julia Herr (= leader of the Young Socialists) as 6th on the list.



Governor Kaiser from Carinthia is now fuming, lamenting that the Carinthia-SPÖ had the best election result this year with 48% and one of the best results in the federal election last year.

https://derstandard.at/2000089762700/Peter-Kaiser-denkt-laut-ueber-Rueckzug-als-SPOe-Vizeparteichef-nach

Isn't this forcing equality, i.e. even if there is a male candidate that is better than a certain woman
in the party, he will not make it on the list?

Edit: Not referring to Luca being take off the list, but the male, female, male rule in general.

[Tender Branson]

Isn't this forcing equality, i.e. even if there is a male candidate that is better than a certain woman
in the party, he will not make it on the list?

Edit: Not referring to Luca being take off the list, but the male, female, male rule in general.

There's nothing wrong IMO with the SPÖ (or other parties) promoting quotas to reach gender parity on their election lists.

Currently, women are underrepresented in politics everywhere (in Austria, they make up only 38% in parliament, in the US just 15-20% for example). Their share in the population is 52%, so parliament should represent society as best as possible on this topic, because there are many decisions made that also impact women. There are a lot of reasons why women are underrepresented, but politics should still do everything to promote this equality. Besides, Luca Kaiser is not better suited or qualified to serve in the EU parliament than Julia Herr.

[Tender Branson]

The FPÖ has been strongly attacked today because of a racist ad campaign, secretly targeting Muslim children.

Here is the background:

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The FPÖ posted the following ads on their Facebook sites:

"Government cuts child benefits abroad."





https://derstandard.at/2000090070373/Kritik-an-rassistischer-FPOe-Kampagne-zu-Familienbeihilfe

Problem:

While the number of foreign children living abroad being financed by Austria has indeed increased significantly in the last few years (see chart), the vast majority of the children being supported are from Eastern European countries or other European countries and about 99% of them are white and certainly no Muslims, like portrayed in the ads ...

Disgusting.

[Tender Branson]

The left-liberal "Standard" newspaper (founded by a Social Democrat), is writing about a "Social-Democratic Double Depression" in the German and Austrian SPD and SPÖ under Andrea Nahles and Pamela Rendi-Wagner:

https://derstandard.at/2000089481766/Rendi-Wagner-und-Nahles-Rote-Doppeldepression

For the SPÖ, there is some comfort though, because they are still polling in the 26-30% range - while other European SD parties have already fully collapsed ...

[Tender Branson]

The Saudi mess is coming to Austria (again):

Back in the summer of 2012, the FPÖ voted against opening the "King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz International Centre for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue (KAICIID)" in Vienna, but it was still approved by SPÖVP at that time and the center opened in the fall.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KAICIID_Dialogue_Centre

Now that the FPÖ is in government, they suddenly oppose closing the thing (despite the Saudi fu**ers being responsible for countless human rights abuses and being sponsors of terror abroad, war abroad (Yemen etc.) and sponsors of radical, backwards Islam abroad.

F**k the FPÖ for their flip-flopping.

Back in 2012, Austrians strongly supported shutting down the KAICIID in Vienna, or cutting funding.

https://uselectionatlas.org/FORUM/index.php?topic=180261.msg4461111#msg4461111

Now it is the left-wing opposition (SPÖ, NEOS, LiPi, Greens) that wants the center closed.

https://kurier.at/politik/ausland/opposition-draengt-auf-schliessung-des-saudi-zentrums/400154994

[bigic]

Did the Greens oppose the opening of the centre?

[Tender Branson]

Did the Greens oppose the opening of the centre?

Thanks for asking.

A quick research reveals that back in 2012 SPÖ+ÖVP voted in favour + the BZÖ.

Greens + FPÖ voted against.

https://derstandard.at/1339639819248/Interreligioeser-Dialog-Koenig-Abdullah-Zentrum-in-Wien-eine-Farce