Real democracy remains a foreign word for the SPÖ for the time being

A “democracy package” that doesn’t deserve its name:

Upper Austria (OTS) – The SPÖ doesn’t really shine with sensible ideas, even under new leadership at the federal and state levels. Now people in Upper Austria are trying to address a new topic with a “democracy package”. However, the pamphlet has at most waste paper value. “Above all, the SPÖ has no real heart for real co-determination and citizen participation – more than once the civil liberties of citizens have been trampled upon with the consent of the red state chiefs – for example in the decision on compulsory vaccination, which was de facto made at the state governors’ conference in 2021.

The fact that the SPÖ, with its latent problem when it comes to managers, is demanding that the state governor be directly elected is at least courageous. Given the left-wing junior ranks in the SPÖ, who are more likely to worship doomsday scenarios than their chairman, it is also impossible to imagine that anyone better will come along than the weakening state councilor Lindner. “The majority of the SPÖ staff have never been in professional life, but are raised in the party’s own organizations and thus in a protected environment with the red bottle. Hardly anyone there comes into contact with the real reality of life,” says LAbg. Joachim Aigner, MFG-Austria federal party chairman. In his party MFG People – Freedom – Fundamental Rights, on the other hand, the majority of those involved are “actively involved in economic life and do politics not for the money, but for the desire to shape things.”

“The fact that the chairman of a major party, who, despite enormous resources and party apparatus in the background, is calling for a direct election of the state governor with just 8 percent approval, has something of a far-fetched apocalyptic feel.” -Joachim Aigner-

And the fact that SPÖ Upper Austria party leader Lindner is in favor of a direct election of the state governor, even though, according to a Spectra survey from December 2023, he only has 8 percent approval on the LH question, has something of a distant apocalyptic feel. Where democracy could really be protected and strengthened, however, nothing is heard from the Reds – for example when it comes to referendums, basic rights and co-determination. “Apart from loose blah blah, there’s nothing concrete here. Apart from the MFG, no one has an interest in direct democracy without any ifs and buts, neither the ÖVP nor the SPÖ and certainly not the FPÖ,” says LAbg. Manuel Krautgartner, MFG-OÖ club chairman, on the SPÖ Upper Austria’s democracy package.

Real democracy instead of nonsense

For example, the SPÖ wants “democratic participation” in the appointment of district governors. Manuel Krautgartner: “What’s the point of this nonsense? People want to have a say in issues that affect their immediate living environment, but not whether a red, blue or black office stallion will be sitting on the top floor of the respective district administration for the next few years. In reality, no one cares about that – quite apart from the fact that the parties might then also be conducting an extremely expensive election campaign around these possible district governor elections.”

“Spineless turncoats”

The argument that the SPÖ uses to demand that the State Governors’ Conference, which is currently not subject to any formal control, should be more closely controlled by the Federal Council in the future is also threadbare: namely, that the decision on compulsory corona vaccination was de facto made at the State Governors’ Conference in 2021 on Achensee was hit. If you remember that SP grandees like Pamela Rendi-Wagner, Michael Ludwig, Peter Kaiser or – to stay in Upper Austria – Peter Binder were passionate advocates of vaccination and compulsory vaccination, it seems like pure hypocrisy that the SPÖ is now “critical” of the decision of the state governors’ conference at the time. The SPÖ had even agreed on a line the day before the relevant state governors’ conference – namely “for compulsory vaccination”. The question remains: Why does the SPÖ suddenly want to control these state governors’ conferences more closely when some of the most important representatives are already painted dark red? “The SPÖ could not have demonstrated more clearly that it is apparently made up of spineless turncoats,” said LAbg. Dagmar Häusler, BSc., MFG-Austria Federal Party Chairman-Deputy.

One good idea – and it was stolen

The SPÖ’s only sensible demand recently – that of shortening the legislative period from 6 to 5 years – was passed by an initiative motion in January of this year in Upper Austria. Brought to the state parliament – ​​it is not an SPÖ idea. Better copied well than not putting any ideas on paper yourself seemed to be the motto here: In April 2023, the MFG Upper Austria brought exactly this application to Upper Austria. state parliament. The three old parties ÖVP, FPÖ and SPÖ voted against it. Less than a year later, the SPÖ presses the copy & paste button and submits an almost identical motion that pursues exactly the same goal.

Conclusion: The SPÖ is not serious about its democracy package. Once more sound and (red) smoke.

Questions & Contact:

MFG State Parliament Club Upper Austria
(+43 732) 7720 – 17402
press-you@mfg-oe.at
www.klubmfg-ooe.at