The “crown” on site – taking cruises in the city that never sleeps

“Oh – I see it as my duty to be here! “We’re open every day now – from six to eight,” says Peter Wood as he directs impatient people and opens a new queue. The New York resident went on vacation to help out at one of the many ‘Early Voting Polling Stations’ – a polling station where voters can cast their votes in advance.

The crowds in front of the polling stations are already large
“I used to work at an Austrian bank in New York, I still have many friends in Austria. My current job is more flexible and allows me to be here.” For a week now, he has been at his polling station in the Metropolitan Museum every day from five o’clock: “On the first day, people were queuing all the time. block,” he says. A lot is happening now: “We notice that the turnout is much higher than normal. People want a say.”

Liberal New York, unsafe Pennsylvania
Kamala Harris will likely win in his constituency: “After all, we are on the Upper East Side, a very Democratic and liberal district. Different from our neighboring state,” says Peter. He could be right: the result could be extremely close in the swing state of Pennsylvania.

Harris and Trump are also aware of this: both candidates have invested a lot of time and resources in campaign events in Pennsylvania in recent weeks. “It remains to be seen whether this will be of any use,” Peter muses.

Trump Tower well guarded
Two kilometers further south of his polling station, the enormous Trump Tower shines in the sun. In front of it: a whole group of police officers. “We protect the president. President Trump – he lives here with his family,” someone says: “I already voted, but I won’t say who. I just hope that next week won’t be bad for us” – and his colleague adds: “There could still be a lot of work ahead of us.”

Gaping emptiness in the tower itself
No matter how hectic it is on the street in front of the tower, it is deserted inside: the shop with Trump souvenirs is closed, and it is dark in the bar with a large Trump portrait on the wall. Porter Aaron from the Bronx stands alone in the large lobby: “I’ve been working here for forty years. I have never seen Trump, he has his own entrance.” He cannot say how the elections will turn out: “Not at work, hopefully it won’t be too bad.”

“Krone”: Only a few days left until the election of the year. How do you experience the mood before the American elections?
Lucas Zitz (Deputy Economic Representative in New York): You have to make a distinction: we are in New York and New York works differently than the rest of the US. The city is very international, full of energy, and many things happen at the same time: you see a parade, go to events, spot a celebrity as you pass by – the US elections are of course still the biggest event. The mood is already heated. Since the last elections, the division between the camps has been very deep: representatives of one party often do not communicate with those of the other party. Everyone is now eagerly awaiting the election results, even though the final results are still a long way off – they could be very close.

The foreign trade center in New York helps, among other things, Austrian companies to enter the American market – to what extent could Donald Trump’s election victory affect your work?
The relevant question for us and our companies is how the US will develop in the long term. The time when world trade was characterized by pronounced stability is over: we are entering more complex and uncertain times. The US has already taken more restrictive measures on international trade under previous presidents, including Obama, to strengthen its own economy. We assume this will remain the case – regardless of who becomes the next president.

Will it become more difficult for Austrian companies to gain a foothold in the US over the next four years?
There will certainly not be fewer trade barriers. But: What is important for companies is not one choice, but a long-term horizon.

Is the American Dream still relevant?
The American Dream is alive – it is alive, but the fine print often doesn’t make it across the pond. If you want to be successful in the US you need perseverance, the American Dream takes time and financial resources, the market is very competitive. So: the American Dream takes a lot – it has a very positive connotation, gives a lot of people a lot of energy and still drives them to achieve great things. But the concept of a welfare state is different here, and you can also fall deep.

How are you going to spend election night?
Americans celebrate election night like a sporting event: there are public viewings in bars and restaurants. I’ll definitely keep an eye on it, but I don’t know where yet.