Between the green lawn and the green table: royal football has long had a say in red-white-red domestic politics. Numerous top politicians attended the national team’s matches in the hope of scoring political points. Football-loving political scientist Peter Filzmaier is already warning against ‘overstaging’.
It was a remarkable interview in several respects that FPÖ Secretary General Christian Hafenecker gave to ORF presenter Armin Wolf on ZIB2. “I am also happy that our national team wins the group. But I don’t understand why the Chancellor and the Vice Chancellor then appear in the team cabin and drink the beer there, but do not bring about a cabinet meeting,” the eloquent blue general explained live on ORF.
A message that he absolutely wanted to convey unsolicited, because Hafenecker, as a political professional, also knows very well: the black-green federal government is currently surfing at least a little on the wave of success of our team players. “If you win and are successful, a sense of unity and identification effects arise, which government parties in particular like to use,” explains political scientist Peter Filzmaier.
Danger of “overstaging”
But politicians should also be careful, according to the expert, that surfing the wave of success does not become a problem in their stomach. Filzmaier signals the danger of “over-staging” and warns the parties: “These effects will be difficult to maintain.” And the political penalty series only takes place on election day, September 29.
From the Federal President onwards, several top domestic politicians have published reports, photos and videos in the run-up to the round of 16 and during the red-white-red group stage. Chancellor Karl Nehammer not only visited the team’s footballers in the dressing room, but also attended the match with Finance Minister Magnus Brunner and German Finance Minister and FDP leader Christian Lindner.
Green Sports Minister and Vice Chancellor Werner Kogler used his stay in Berlin not only to visit the stadium, but also for an exchange with ex-Rapid kicker Christopher Trimmel, who now plays for Union Berlin, and working discussions with his German party and minister colleague Cem Ozdemir.
NEOS youngster Yannick Shetty also kept his fingers crossed for the team on the ground and posted a “goosebump video” of the match against Poland. “If the fans get their way, we are already European champions. Let’s go boys,” can be read live from Berlin under an Instagram post by outgoing National Council President Wolfgang Sobotka.
SPD Chancellor Scholz under criticism
The topic is the political appropriation of the EM spectacle, also among our neighbouring countries in Germany. SPD Chancellor Olaf Scholz was criticised for his “tired performances” in the stadium. “He looks like a strange body in the stands”, criticised sports journalist Lucas Vogelsang in the well-known talk show “Markus Lanz”. “If you see him as a football fan in the stands, he looks strange, seems strange”, it was said.
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.
