Carinthian Greens warn: Kaiser's criticism of the ECHR endangers fundamental rights!

Carinthian Greens warn: Kaiser's criticism of the ECHR endangers fundamental rights!

On June 4, 2025, the National Council member and state spokeswoman for the Carinthian Green Party, Olga Voglauer, warned of the dangerous political games that are currently being played around the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). In a critical statement, she pointed out that Governor Peter Kaiser was questioning the validity of the ECHR, which could be interpreted as alarming and as a kowtow to right-wing populist forces. Voglauer emphasized the need to strengthen the protection of this convention in times of growing authoritarian tendencies in Europe.

The ECHR, which was signed on November 4, 1950 by 13 member states of the Council of Europe and came into force in 1953, is a key instrument for the protection of human rights in Europe. It applies to over 700 million people in 46 countries and guarantees basic civil and political rights. Voglauer pointed out that the existing convention is not an adaptable instrument, but rather represents an essential protective shield for the dignity and rights of all people.

Criticism of Peter Kaiser's statements

Voglauer rejected Kaiser's view that the ECHR was rigid and outdated. The ongoing adaptation through case law is evidence of the relevance and necessity of the convention. The vagueness in Kaiser's statements was criticized by Voglauer as a dangerous political maneuver that was not in line with human rights.

Agnes Prammer, human rights spokeswoman for the Green Party, agreed with this criticism and described the current developments as worrying. She emphasized that human rights are the foundation of democracy and called for a non-negotiable commitment from the ÖVP, SPÖ and NEOS to the ECHR. These demands come at a time when the ECHR is essential to safeguard civil liberties.

The importance of the ECHR and its protocols

The ECHR protects many essential rights, including the prohibition of torture, the right to liberty and the right to a fair trial. In addition, further rights are anchored in additional protocols. The First Additional Protocol protects property, the right to education and the right to free elections. These rights are not just theoretical, but are monitored by independent bodies such as the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR).

A specific element of the ECHR is Protocol No. 4, signed on September 16, 1963, which deals with important rights such as the prohibition of deprivation of liberty because of debts and the prohibition of collective expulsion of foreign persons. Such provisions are crucial to the protection of individual rights and freedoms and complement the fundamental principles of the Convention.

Against this background, it is all the more important to emphasize the relevance of the ECHR in the political debate and to ensure that the ongoing challenges to human rights are not misused as a pretext for weakening the Convention. A strong and united commitment to these rights has never been more important than it is today.

ots.at reports that...

institut-fuer-menschenrechte.de provides information about the ECHR and its importance for citizens' rights.

bpb.de explains the specific content and additional protocols that complement the ECHR.