At the weekend thousands of people took to the streets in Austria to protest against black and blue. However, this is offset by rising poll numbers for Chancellor Kurz. „What he does right: that he makes this government seem extremely harmonious,“ explains Falter editor Barbara Tòth. „There is virtually no discussion between the coalition partners. This is something unusual for Austria. „The previously ruling Grand Coalition has always held its conflicts in public.
In short, surfing on the wave of its popularity
Reform policy is the balance after one year, however, „very meager“. For example, there is still no sign of the promised reform of social insurance. There is only a tax relief for families – as a „candy“ for the short-voters. The chancellor had otherwise „further surfed on the wave of its popularity,“ according to the author of the book „Sebastian Kurz – Austria’s new prodigy?“.
What one can observe in any case is a change in public discourse: „He has already moved neatly to the right. This is more or less a warning that can be sent from Austria to Europe – what slogans, what political statements by government in Austria are now perceived as completely normal. „It’s about how to talk about strangers, human rights or the UN -Migration pact speak. Not all Austrians are aware of that, but from the outside, they see it as „crass and critical“
