For our sons and daughters: MFG fights for neutrality instead of a war economy in Austria
If necessary, I will stand on the streets with my sons and with a hundred thousand other sons and daughters for peace, for neutrality, for our children and grandchildren – for a neutral Austria
LAbg. Joachim Aigner, MFG-Austria federal party chairman
The MFG fights resolutely against an impending transition to a war economy in Austria and for a peaceful future for our children. While other actors in Europe are preparing for a potential war, the MFG is committed to maintaining Austria’s neutrality and demands a clear commitment from Austrian politics to refrain from switching to a war economy in our country.
In the EU there are signs of a switch to a war economy: Ursula von der Leyen plans to gear her next EU Commission towards a war economy: joint procurement of weapons and ammunition, monitoring of arms production and a separate EU Commissioner for Defense. EU Industry Commissioner Thierry Breton constantly talks about Europe having to “transition to a war economy mode”. French President Emmanuel Macron does not rule out the use of ground troops in Ukraine by his country. Chancellor Nehammer even fears that we could “stumble into a war.”
War economy in Europe: Austria’s neutrality in danger?
All of this suggests that Europe should become “war-fit” and that the aim is to switch to a war economy. War economy means an economic system of a party to the conflict that is geared towards the necessities of war. This includes the production of weapons, ammunition, military equipment and food to meet army needs. When people push to switch to a war economy, they are, by definition, assuming that they are a party to a war. A switch to a war economy, just like any other active participation by Austria in a military conflict, is in stark contrast to Austria’s neutrality, which says that we must stay out of military conflicts. A switch to a war economy would undermine this neutrality and involve Austria in a military conflict.
Application against war economy: MFG acts in Upper Austria. Parliament
For this reason, the MFG parliamentary group at the Upper Austrian meeting. On April 11, 2024, the state parliament submitted an initiative motion entitled “No war economy in Austria!” It demands that the Austrian federal government clearly commits to refraining from switching to a war economy in Austria. “I am the father of four sons and stepsons – and I don’t give these sons. Not for an Ursula Von der Leyen, not for a Federal Chancellor Nehammer, not for a warmonger like French President Macron. I will not be in a foreign conflict with my sons. If necessary, I will stand on the streets with my sons and with a hundred thousand other sons and daughters for peace, for neutrality, for our children and grandchildren – for a neutral Austria.”
said LAbg. Joachim Aigner, MFG-Austria federal party chairman.
Party political calculations more important than peace and security?
The other factions in Upper Austria. The state parliament (ÖVP, FPÖ, SPÖ, The Greens, NEOS) were unable to approach the motion at the meeting and put forward mostly flimsy arguments for their rejection: The FPÖ fabled empty-handed about a neutral state, but still saw – probably for party political reasons – that the FPÖ apparently cares more about peace and security in its own country – no need to agree to the motion (which demands exactly this: a commitment to neutrality and against a war economy), as does the SPÖ. The Greens, for example, thought that the real magic word for promoting peace was “energy transition”. You don’t have to understand this green (il)logic.
The ÖVP said that there is currently a situation in which it is appropriate for the EU states and the entire world to strengthen themselves militarily and arm themselves. Because if there is an aggressor whose plans are not entirely obvious, then it would be negligent not to do so. If you want peace, you have to arm yourself, not to wage war, but to signal to the aggressor that he should think carefully about taking on you. “It seems to me that the ÖVP is propagating an arms race here. Two words come to mind: Cold War,” says Joachim Aigner worriedly. The NEOS ultimately said that a war economy was just being talked about and that such a war economy was actually not an issue at all. Joachim Aigner said: “The gentlemen must not have opened a newspaper for a long time, because then they would know that the war economy is currently an issue in the EU and has been in the headlines more than once in the recent past.”
Due to the topicality of the issue, the initiative motion was described as urgent and the motion was still on the agenda at the current meeting. Since the other political groups did not recognize the urgency of the request, it will be discussed further in the next committee meeting. It remains to be hoped that the other parties in the committee will reconsider their position and ultimately work for peace and neutrality in Austria. In any case, the MFG remains resolute in the fight for peace and neutrality and will continue to advocate against the danger of a switch to a war economy in Austria.
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