New president and the defense of democracy in Austria!

New president and the defense of democracy in Austria!

Wien, Österreich - The Viennese theologian Hans Schelkshorn was elected as the new president of the "Catholic Academic: Interior Association of Austria" (KAVÖ) on November 30, 2024. His choice was announced on Tuesday, and Magda Krön and Ille Gebeshuber were determined as vice presidents. Schelkshorn, professor of intercultural philosophy of religion at the University of Vienna, follows the cultural manager and retired teacher Krön, who remains in the management team. The newly appointed Vice President Gebeshuber is a professor of physics at the Technical University of Vienna. It is noteworthy that the management trio still needs confirmation of the Austrian Bishops' Conference. In addition, Markus Schlagnitweit, director of the Catholic Social Academy in Austria, is proposed for the position of spiritual assistant, which became vacant. The Kavö dedicated its autumn conference to the topic of democracy, in which exciting discussions took place.

call to defend democracy

During the conference, Schelkshorn questioned the philosophy behind right -wing populist parties such as the FPÖ and emphasized that Austria's liberal democracy had not been fought out of his own for 1945, but was "given" from the outside. His concerns about the rise of populism were reinforced by warnings of other speakers such as Hans Rauscher, who warned against leaving right -wing populists in power. Rauscher, renowned journalist and columnist, recently published a book entitled "What is worth writing about: memories, dangers and hopes", in which he analyzes the challenges of today's democracy. His work is more than just looking back on Austrian post -war history; It is an urgent appeal to the responsibility of each individual to defend democracy, as ecowing reported.

Rauscher emphasizes the need to critically deal with the current political developments. In the midst of authoritarian tendencies, he pleads for active use for democracy in order not to be taken for granted the freedoms. He warns that ignorance of the challenges against which democracy is facing could have fatal consequences. Schelkshorns and Rauscher's words reflect the urgent need to actively work for the maintenance of a stable, liberal democracy so as not to fall into the trap of forgetting and lethargy.