Austria a Step Ahead in Europe's Race to the Right

Der Spiegel ^ | 05.18.2016 | asnain Kazim, Katrin Kuntz, Walter Mayr and Barbara Supp

[ameribbean expat]

If he wins, and his chances are good, Austria would have a president who is "decisively opposed to forced multiculturalism, globalization and mass immigration." He has blasted his opponent, Green Party candidate Alexander Van der Bellen, as a "fascist, green dictator."

[ameribbean expat]

Looks like Austria is serving up more than Sachet Torte at the Hotel Wien these days.

[dfwgator]

I will say having visited Vienna last year, it’s one of my favorite cities on the planet.

[terycarl]

I visited my family in Austria a few years ago, they have a winery, overlooking he Danube river...poor babies!!, They were wonderful and welcomed us with open arms!...they emigrated here (my great grandpa ) in the 1880’s...Wisconsin their goal.

[Henry Hnyellar]

Wanting to keep your own country is racing to the right. Der Spewgel, dumb as ever.

[ghosthost]

some of the most beautiful women on earth are Austrian

[PAR35]

First strong leader to come out of Austria in over 70 years.

[CrimsonTidegirl]

“I will say having visited Vienna last year, it’s one of my favorite cities on the planet.”

You are so lucky. I have a friend who was born & raised in Vienna & she’s (understandably) proud of it.

The pics & videos I’ve seen are spectacular.

[Mjreagan]

There are still some men left in WestCiv

[RitchieAprile]

Hm..

[fieldmarshaldj]

"some of the most beautiful women on earth are Austrian"

Oh ?

[Billthedrill]

Der Spiegel keeps referring to these people as "far right", which is confusing but revelatory. These do not appear to be extremists at all, rather nationalist and slightly anti-authoritarian and skeptical of the hitherto unchallenged multicultural lockstep that has so captured the upper strata of European government. That simply does not an extremist make.

What this attitude illustrates is the severe, inflexible, top-down model of politics in the EU at the moment, and the unquestionable primacy of profound anti-nationalism. That should be no surprise: the very nature of the EU is anti-nationalistic, and one can see that any instance of independence is likely to be regarded as threatening. In fact, if the choice is between allowing a single, monolithic ideology to ruin the place chasing a dream, and a mildly fissiparous nationalism to protect those things that are unique to its people, one can hardly fail to sympathize with the latter. The New Soviet Man turned out to be a fiction; the New European Man so closely similar is likely to wind up the same way despite Brussels' insistence to the contrary. What will remain is those who will be charged with cleaning up the mess, and I wish them luck.

[Maudeen]

How many in America will be renouncing their citizenship for Austria?

[dfwgator]

I actually like Bratislava, because Slovaks won’t tolerate any Muzzies, and it’s only an hour away from Vienna.

[piytar]

+1,000

[goldstategop]

One of the two German states of Europe appears to be going its own way.

[goldstategop]

Populists have taken over the GOP.

I am tired of hearing of we’re extreme right wing and a throwback to the Nazis.

I want to preserve our country. I don’t feel the need to apologize for my stand.

[dfwgator]

Will Merkel order a new Anschluss?

[bjcoop]

Hitler was going to lose the Austrian plebescite for maintaining Austrian independence which was called by Schushnigg. The vote is tomorrow so will Merkel send in their troops?

[dfwgator]

One of the two German states of Europe appears to be going its own way.

Hey, what's Liechtenstein, chopped liver?