COALITION COLOURS MAY NOT CHANGE
IT was only last Thursday that the Austrian government passed its ban on headscarves for pupils in primary schools—another act in its agenda against immigrants, asylum seekers and Austria’s Muslim community. The coalition seemed indestructible.
Then on Friday night, the Ibiza tapes leaked. 24 hours later, Chancellor Sebastian Kurz stood before the nation and announced his coalition with the FPÖ was over.
Since its formation, Mr Kurz’s government has been blighted by incidents of farright extremism emanating from the FPÖ: antisemitism, historical revisionism, conspiracy theories, praise for the Nazi regime, and the exposure of their connections to the altright Identitarian movement.
In the end it was the Ibiza tapes that made Mr Kurz say enough was enough. The FPÖ, he said, had destroyed itself. Even far-right bigwig Andreas Mölzer said it was unfit to govern.
Austria’s president Alexander Van der Bellen said he would like to see new elections held in September. Early polling indicates
Mr Kurz’s People’s
Party will gain support at the
FPÖ’s expense.
There is no reason to believe, however, that new elections will dramatically change the Austrian political landscape: Mr Kurz remains popular and his agenda had the support of the majority of Austrians, while the opposition Social Democrats are weak and its new leader inexperienced.
The next government, then, may look much the same as the one that came before: Mr Kurz in coalition again with FPÖ, albeit greatly weakened and without HeinzChristian Strache as leader.
LIAM HOARE