Suche
Merz under pressure: Where is the distance to the FPÖ in Austria?
SPD leader Lars Klingbeil criticizes the CDU for its lack of distance from the FPÖ and asks about Friedrich Merz's clarity.
Merz under pressure: Where is the distance to the FPÖ in Austria?
The SPD leader Lars Klingbeil sharply criticized the Union after the failure of the planned center coalition in Vienna. In an interview with the editorial network Germany, he accused the CDU of not showing enough distance from its sister party ÖVP. According to Klingbeil, the conservatives made a drastic change of course within 24 hours and “threw themselves at the right-wing extremists.” This turnaround is particularly problematic because the Union had previously clearly promised not to form a coalition with the FPÖ and its chairman Herbert Kickl, Klingbeil continued. He asked the question: "Where is Friedrich Merz's clarity when it comes to his partners' cooperation with a right-wing extremist and Putin friend like Kickl?"
Lack of distancing and political warning signals
The SPD sees the ÖVP's failed political decision as a missed opportunity for a constructive coalition in Austria that could well have formed a majority of votes. Klingbeil also noted that the Austrian Social Democrats were ready for such cooperation. The CSU also expressed similar views, interpreting the developments in Austria as a warning signal for Germany. At a closed meeting in Upper Bavaria, CSU leader Alexander Dobrindt described the economic and migration policy challenges in Austria as comparable to those in Germany and urged caution.
In this context, Dobrindt indicated that Germany must do everything in its power to prevent a similar political situation to that in Austria. He stressed that past experiences with populist movements in Europe, such as in the Netherlands and Italy, should lead the Union to chart its own course and not act as a “stirrup holder” for populists. The Green candidate for chancellor Robert Habeck also warned of a possible political split and reiterated that democratic parties should always be ready to form alliances, even if different positions exist. The CDU has not yet officially commented on the events in Austria, which fuels suspicions about the internal strategy of the CDU/CSU parties.