FPÖ leader Herbert Kickl survived the days of chaos. The “Krone” addressed the question: How does Kickl secure his power? Why is there no challenger? Who are the Praetorians?
In order to quickly calm the unrest within the party after Hans-Jörg Jenewein’s suicide attempt, Hofburg candidate Walter Rosenkranz is said to have called the FPÖ state parties himself. The crisis phone calls had an effect. The ranks closed again for party reasons.
Party conference as first acid test for Kickl
However, the affair is not over for FPÖ leader Herbert Kickl. Because there should be no election slippers for rosaries or for the state elections in Tyrol. The party congress in mid-September, where he is elected party leader, will be Kickl’s first acid test.
Many dissatisfied with Kickl .’s course
But it’s also a fact, despite the many dissatisfied (who can only be quoted anonymously) about Kickl’s course, that there isn’t a challenger for miles around. But why isn’t there a party heavyweight publicly throwing the gauntlet at Kickl? Why is the Kickl system so effective at exerting power?
Except for ex-EU MP Andreas Mölzer, who has nothing more to lose, nobody seems to want to criticize Kickl loudly. This is mainly due to the party structure. In the ÖVP there are leagues, in the SPÖ rooms or plenty of other party related organizations where you can get caught as a last-exit strategy if you mess with the party leader.
The FPÖ does not have such a network. “You are inside or outside,” said one FPÖler. Anyone who falls out of favor with the party leader can quickly fall out of the system – but many are financially dependent on the party.
FPÖ Parliamentary Club is Kickl .’s power base
It has been repeatedly claimed that Kickl has no support from the members of the fraternity. To them he is an upstart, whom they even despise. This alleged bad relationship leaves the FPÖ boss cold. His power base is the blue club in parliament. The deputies – of all countries – are firmly behind him.
The Parliamentary Club is also in excellent financial condition. “Resting Kickl in the club is almost impossible,” says an insider. However, as long as this is a mission impossible, there is no alternative to a new party leader.
De Ober-Blaue feels so secure in his power that he rarely seeks personal conversations with the state parties. Many an important official had not spoken to him for 1.5 years. “Kickl always believed that you don’t need friends in politics,” says Mölzer.
Kickl has gathered a number of praetorians around him
Besides the club, the FPÖ boss has gathered a number of loyal Praetorians around him. There is Kickl’s private secretary and office manager Reinhard Teufel. The Lower Austrian was already Kickl’s chief of staff at the Ministry of the Interior. Alexander Höferl is also considered an important strategist. Press spokeswoman Isolde Seidl is his verbal spearhead, who prepares the broadcasts for Kickl.
In the ÖVP-U Committee, mandatary Christian Hafenecker carries out Kickl’s assignment. Jenewein had this role in the BVT-U committee. Federal director Joachim Stampfer also belongs to the group of Praetorians. He is currently the campaign manager for Rosencrantz.
Source: Krone
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