The FPÖ will celebrate the start of the super election year 2024 on Saturday with the New Year’s meeting. An all-round blow from Herbert Kickl is expected in Graz. Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP) anticipates him and accuses the FPÖ leader of asylum policy: “You big mouth, there is nothing behind it!”
For example, Karner highlights that more Afghans were granted protection status during Kickl’s term than during his. Under Interior Minister Kickl, almost 7,400 Afghans could have remained in Austria in 2018. Last year there were about 2,900 under him, less than half.
Karner accuses Kickl of playing the wrong game
Karner also does not see the expatriation of non-integrated citizens who have recently been seen as effective by right-wing extremists. The FPÖ had shown more sympathy for this.
Karner thinks Kickl is trying to “get people to believe something.” The FPÖ leader is “fooling” Austrians, some of whom rightly have fears and concerns about strong migration.
Karner rejects the right-wing term
Because if someone commits a crime, there are already legal options to stop it. Asylum seekers face the possibility of having to leave the country – “and Austrian citizens are locked up”. There is no point in creating stateless people.
In general, the Interior Minister rejects the term “remigration”, as used by the FPÖ leader this week. In terms of content, Karner also finds it unclear what the PVV actually means. Where does the migration background begin, “before Mr. Landbauer or after Mr. Landbauer?” Karner refers to the chairman of the Lower Austrian Freedom Party, Udo Landbauer, whose mother is from Iran.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
