Babler about the “Krone”: – “It doesn’t matter to me where the asylum procedures take place”

How do you classify your 88.76 percent result? Something like this: No tailwind, but enough wind to set the sails?
The result is incredibly powerful. I was very surprised by the level of results.

Did you expect less?
Less would have been possible. Five months ago we started with a fighting vote that was narrowly decided. Getting such a result a few weeks later is a good sign.

The FPÖ is about eight percent ahead. In your speeches you can appeal to the primal instincts of the social democrat. You win elections by appealing to swing voters. This is not yet possible. Is it even possible to film the match in 10 months?
We have gained five percent in a short time. Depending on the survey, the FPÖ is four to five percent ahead of us.

The most recent survey shows that the SPÖ is eight percent behind the FPÖ…
Other research institutes have us higher. As far as the course is concerned, you have to take a broad view. In my speech I reminded you that it wasn’t long ago that you could get a doctor’s appointment or surgery without having to wait long. Or that the educational institutions worked and that housing was affordable. We would like to give this perspective again. We have 75 percent of the population behind us with our core demand for affordable housing and specialist appointments that must be made within 14 days. This is underestimated.

The political scientist Anton Pelinka, who is not suspected of being conservative, said in the Kleine Zeitung that you have to accept the question of what distinguishes you from the Kickl-FPÖ? What is the difference in social policy between the FPÖ slogan “Our money for our people” and your politics?
At the party conference we presented 300 pages of calculated models. That is what sets us apart, because there is nothing like that with Herbert Kickl. The FPÖ has no concepts and no suggestions for improvement. The FPÖ is jointly responsible for the suppression of social institutions and health insurance. Kickl was in government when the FPÖ social minister claimed that 150 euros a month was enough to live on. He is partly responsible for this wrecking ball period.

Video: FPÖ ranks first in the survey

Until now you have often blamed the ÖVP. The Kickl-FPÖ receives less criticism. If you want to win against the FPÖ, this strategy is probably not enough…
The FPÖ has been consistently at the top so far, I would say. Karl Nehammer is out of the race. This will no longer change because it is difficult to distinguish between the ÖVP and the FPÖ. I made it clear in my speech at the party congress: it is a guiding decision between a people-friendly or anti-people policy, between a policy of shouting versus a policy with a program for the future. My goal is to show the different poles between us and the FPÖ. The ÖVP is certainly not a counterpoint to the FPÖ. Therefore, the contest for the National Council elections automatically comes down to SPÖ versus FPÖ.

In your speech at the party conference you talked about the migration document of Doskozil and Kaiser. Asylum procedures are also required at the EU’s external borders. Don’t you have a problem with that?
Asylum at embassies and procedures at the EU’s external borders are the decision of the SPÖ. The question of who gets asylum and who does not is summarized on 17 pages. I don’t care where the process takes place. Importantly, an orderly procedure according to EU standards is needed. I have been fighting for many years to ensure that there is a fair distribution formula for refugees in Europe. As far as I am concerned, there should also be fines for countries that do not handle asylum procedures according to a certain basic standard.

In your speech at the party congress you described it as “immoral” that the SPÖ was asked about the financing of its anti-inflation models, etc. Why would this question be immoral?
Because it is not just about the financing question. If we had always asked the question of funding when it came to the education system or healthcare, none of it would exist today. We should take out private health insurance or a private pension contract. The SPÖ makes it clear who could make a greater contribution in the future. It is known that there is a wealth tax imbalance in Austria. This is not an SPÖ story, but OECD studies prove it. Capital gains tax used to be 34 percent. That has now fallen to 23 percent. That’s seven billion gone. Only the super-rich companies benefit from this. With Rene Benko it is clearly visible what that means in concrete terms. When taking over Kika/Leiner, the ÖVP boasted that it was a rescue operation. It has now emerged that he has a tax deferral of 150 million euros. He cut them into delicious pieces and made 300 million from them. And then he destroyed 1,900 jobs. This is not our understanding of economic competence.

In the video: Babler was re-elected as SPÖ leader at the federal party conference

Speaking of Benko, there was a lot of support from the government, but there is also former SPÖ Chancellor Alfred Gusenbauer, who is on board here…
The crucial question: who gave Rene Beko the millions? That was the ÖVP. We criticize the fact that the state is seen as an ATM. This is a robbery of taxpayers. Benko paid out a dividend of 100 million euros at a time when the structure was already collapsing and was then granted a tax deferral. Gusenbauer did not distribute this tax money.

But Gusenbauer has approved everything over the years and never said that the structure was too sensitive for him and that he left for moral reasons. Are you hurt by Gusenbauer’s actions?
I can’t talk about pain. All I can say is that with me as Chancellor such an approach would not take place. You can judge me on that.

Back to the wealth tax: there is also the Wifo survey which shows that 80 percent of Austrians benefit from the redistribution and that 20 percent are net payers. Shouldn’t you be so honest and admit that this is a mess…
The welfare state belongs to all of us. 80% benefit from it, 10% receive a zero rate and only 10% of the top earners pay a little more, but benefit from social peace. But the study only covers taxes and levies on income. We have progressive taxes and high incomes contribute more than low incomes. With the wealth tax we are entering a completely different field: it is not about the senior doctor or the average entrepreneur, it is about the Benkos and Tojners who have to contribute more so that we can reduce taxes on labor and the rising healthcare costs can rise. lift.

Let’s go back to the party congress: It was striking that no former party leader or EX-SPÖ chancellor appeared and sent no video greetings. Franz Vranitzky was especially missing. How do you interpret this sign?
I have a good and regular exchange with Franz Vranitzky. The former party leaders were all invited. When the party conference takes place in Vienna, there is a higher density. But on the other hand, at this party conference there was a high density of ex-ministers and former leaders of state parties. That was huge.