ÖVP Interior Minister Karner: Left-wing extremism is being swept under the carpet!

ÖVP Interior Minister Karner: Left-wing extremism is being swept under the carpet!

On April 25, 2025, FPÖ General Secretary Christian Hafenecker and FPÖ left-wing extremism spokesman Sebastian Schwaighofer spoke out vehemently about the inadequate answers from Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP) to left-wing extremist activities in Austria. Hafenecker described the minister's answer as a "political oath of disclosure" and criticized the fact that the information he requested on over 50 detailed questions was ignored by Karner. Instead, the minister referred to official secrecy, data protection or police tactics, which Hafenecker saw as a sign of disinterest in protecting the population.

One of the FPÖ's central concerns is the increase in left-wing motivated crimes, such as property damage and serious bodily harm, which received little attention in the minister's response. Schwaighofer criticized the fact that education about these topics should be structured and factual, but instead empty phrases and excuses are used. The parliamentary question specifically referred to groups such as the “Antifajugend Wien” and the “Last Generation”, but no answers were given.

Criticism of the security apparatus

The FPÖ politicians painted a picture of an Interior Ministry that does not take the threat of left-wing extremism seriously. Hafenecker accused the government of systematically trivializing and ignoring left-wing extremism because there was a lack of ideological perception of the danger. At the same time, security authorities are closely monitoring peaceful demonstrations and right-wing groups, while the left-wing extremist scene appears to receive less attention.

The context of this discussion is reinforced by the latest findings from the 2023 Constitutional Protection Report. According to the Directorate of State Security and Intelligence (DSN), right-wing extremism in Austria represents a major challenge. DSN boss Omar Haijawi-Pirchner reported a 30 percent increase in right-wing extremist-motivated crimes in 2022. In addition to right-wing extremism, the Office for the Protection of the Constitution also highlights Islamist extremism and left-wing extremism as significant security threats.

Extremist activities in context

The report also documents a worrying increase in extremist activity, including not only left-wing extremists, but also Islamist extremism and anti-Semitism. Geopolitical developments, such as the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine and Hamas' terrorist acts, have created additional challenges for the security situation in Austria. Measures are necessary to prevent extremism, with the Office for the Protection of the Constitution working to identify threats and act preventively.

In 2023, 80 extremism prevention officers were also trained to implement prevention measures in schools and other institutions. In the context of this comprehensive security situation, the challenge of left-wing extremism and the associated social tensions are a central issue that is being heavily discussed in the political debate. While the FPÖ is calling for clearer information about left-wing extremist activities, the responsibility of the security authorities is increasingly being questioned.

Further information can be found in the comprehensive report for the protection of the constitution, the publication of which has been announced by the Ministry of the Interior in the near future. Current findings and reports are also available on the DSN website.

For more details read here: OTS, The standard and BMI.