Former EU Agriculture Commissioner Franz Fischler (ÖVP) sees Austria in a “democracy-endangering situation” after the government formation task for the FPÖ. “A huge damage has been done by the parties involved” he said to the Austrian newspaper “Der Standard”.
Two former state-governing parties have taken the approach of ensuring that there will be no Kickl government, said Fischler. Many citizens are disappointed and would turn their backs on politics, “and probably won’t vote anymore”.
According to Fischler, the other parties should have moved more in the negotiations: “That means at the same time that one must be ready for real compromises and not just read out one’s wish list for the tenth time, as Herr Babler still does” said the former EU Commissioner about the SPÖ leader. “It was clear that all essential concessions from their pre-election positions would have to be made. But instead, it was as if that wasn’t the case, which does not exactly speak for the negotiation quality of the parties involved.”
He, however, sees the actions of President Alexander Van der Bellen as right: “The other parties have, after all, a much greater number of mandates than Kickl alone. Therefore, the President’s approach was already right.” The mistake lies with all the parties involved. “The parties in public did not clarify enough that the President asked Kickl if he is capable of forming a federal government” said the ÖVP politician. One cannot blame the President for not finding partners, therefore.