,
5 tweets,
1 min read
Read on Twitter
The Schweigekanzler, Austria's Chancellor famous for refusing to condemn his far-right coalition partner, is giving a press conference after a massive scandal enveloped the FPO.
Follow here live.
[Thread.]
bundeskanzleramt.gv.at/live
Follow here live.
[Thread.]
bundeskanzleramt.gv.at/live
Sebastian Kurz opens by laying out the purpose of the government: To overcome a political system in which the mainstream parties divided power for their own purposes.
Says that, in terms of public policy--from immigration to fiscal policy--the government has achieved its goals.
Says that, in terms of public policy--from immigration to fiscal policy--the government has achieved its goals.
Has had to endure a lot. "Even if I didn't always comment publicly, there were many situations where I had a lot of trouble tolerating all of [FPO's] behavior. But after yesterday's video, enough is enough."
This sounds like the end of the Austrian government.
This sounds like the end of the Austrian government.
Kurz says that, in meetings with the FPO today, he did not feel a real readiness to change the party.
He now has different options to preserve power. But that's not possible with either FPO or the Social Democrats.
So instead he's calling for new elections.
He now has different options to preserve power. But that's not possible with either FPO or the Social Democrats.
So instead he's calling for new elections.
Tl;DR: The Austrian coalition between center-right and far-right is no more. It'll be fascinating to see the long-term upshot.
Can Kurz win an outright majority? (Unlikely.)
Will the coalition's failure deter other center-right parties from similar experiments? (Let's hope so.)
Can Kurz win an outright majority? (Unlikely.)
Will the coalition's failure deter other center-right parties from similar experiments? (Let's hope so.)
