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Küberl warns: Social peace in Austria is on the brink!
In the ksoe podcast, Franz Küberl warns of social peace in Austria and calls for more dialogue and solidarity against social division.
Küberl warns: Social peace in Austria is on the brink!
Vienna, March 10, 2025 - Franz Küberl, the former president of Caritas Austria, expresses alarming warnings about the erosion of social peace in Austria in a current podcast with the Austrian Catholic Social Academy (ksoe). Küberl makes it clear that social cohesion is not a given, but requires constant effort. He draws a striking comparison to the post-war situation in Austria: “We narrowly escaped hell in 1945,” he explains, emphasizing that there are serious threats to social peace even today. Political violence, poverty and injustice are key issues that must be addressed.
A crucial theme in Küberl's statements is people's increasing isolation. The dangers of the pandemic have reinforced this trend, and he warns: “Social peace is at risk if we all become ego-groups.” Küberl calls for a new awareness of mutual dependence and solidarity: “I only feel good when my neighbor does well.” With regard to social challenges, Küberl sees the insecurity among young people and the rise of right-wing populism as particularly threatening. “Right-wing populism points its finger at wounds, but has no solutions,” he explains.
Conversation and dialogue as a solution
Küberl urgently calls for a rethink: dialogue with people who think differently must come back into focus. “We need the other phase: the conversation with those who think differently.” The understanding that everyone is responsible for society must be placed in the foreground. In order to specifically promote social peace, Küberl advocates strengthening volunteer work and recognizing people who work for others. “Volunteers bring tools and support others,” he explains.
The important message of his interview is also reflected in his assessment of the church. According to Küberl, the institution is required to provide a space for meaningful community. “You will always need community – just as you need a shared set of ethics,” he says. The latest developments can be seen as part of a long-term focus on promoting social peace, anchored in a comprehensive ksoe project that will address various topics over the next three years, including understanding, justice and diversity, such as KAP reports and THE FURCHE added.