Vice Chancellor and Chairman of the Green Party Werner Kogler continues to expect a fixed date for the upcoming National Council elections. “Yes, I assume so,” he said on Sunday in the ORF “Pressuur”. There are also “good reasons and evidence” for elections in the fall.
Kogler again defended the government’s work with the chancellor’s ÖVP party, despite increasing substantive differences. There is still plenty to do for the turquoise-green government this legislature.
Criticism of the FPÖ’s “blue Putin brothers”.
While Kogler avoided attacking the ÖVP with its plans for unemployment benefits, the vice chancellor focused more on the FPÖ’s ‘blue Putin brothers’. Party leader Herbert Kickl should first make public the friendship agreement with Putin’s party – which, according to the FPÖ, has long since ended. Kickl has an ‘Orbanistan’ in mind, again based on Hungary. And in general, there will be National Council elections soon, not “people’s chancellor elections.”
Kogler defended the fact that the Greens cooperate with the FPÖ in investigative committees, for example because majorities must be found for the submission of files. And in general, “right-wing” or “right-wing conservative” positions should also have their place in a democracy. Right-wing extremists, on the other hand, would attack this democracy – “like in Hungary” – as a concept. For example, FPÖ Secretary General Christian Hafenecker defended the right-wing extremist meeting in Germany.
“Good news” in the fight against the right
Kogler also sees the Green top candidate for the EU elections, Lena Schilling, as “good news” for the fight against right-wing extremism – but also for climate protection. The party leader’s self-declared goal is to retain the Greens’ three mandates (“That was a sensational success at the time”) in the European Parliament, as the issues are different from last time. “We have some headwinds.”
One of these new challenges for the EU is Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. Now it is about defense capacity in Europe. Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin wants to destroy Europe, “absolutely our values.” The Vice Chancellor is not in favor of a “European army joining NATO”, but member states must coordinate better and form a bloc. Putin is a ‘criminal dictator’, but we will also have to negotiate with him.
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.
