Kickl calls for the revolution: Austria's path to the Third Republic!

Kickl calls for the revolution: Austria's path to the Third Republic!

The FPÖ's federal party conference in Salzburg beat high waves at the weekend. Herbert Kickl, the 56-year-old party leader, was re-elected with impressive 96.9 percent of the delegate votes. On this occasion, he presented his vision for a so -called "third republic" and promised a comprehensive change in domestic politics. These ideas were brought to the center of the discussion by supporters and critics.

Goals of the "Third Republic"

Kickl outlined several central points that are supposed to initiate radical change in Austria. This includes a clear commitment to an "asylum stop", the ban on "political Islam" and the expansion of direct democracy. These suggestions are not new; The concept of the "Third Republic" was already shaped by Jörg Haider, who led the FPÖ from 1986 to 2000. Historically speaking, the “Third Republic” follows the second Republic, which has existed since 1945, and the first republic that existed between 1919 and 1934. Kickl not only sees a necessary reform in the realignment of the Republic, but also the chance to redesign Austria and to profile themselves as a chancellor.

Criticism and resistance

However, the suggestions and the concept itself encounter growing skepticism. Critics argue that Kickl's vision could amount to a "leader state" that would significantly restrict representative democracy. This is done not least by the planned conversion to a powerful executive and opportunities to reduce social partnerships. In particular, the merger of the Ministry of the Interior and Defense arouses concerns and is perceived as a “special feature of dictatorships”. This shows how complex the debate about the desired third republic is actually.

In the current political climate, the FPÖ has gained popularity and is around 35 percent in the latest surveys. In comparison, they achieved almost 29 percent of the votes in the parliamentary election a year ago. Among other things, the coalition negotiations between the ÖVP, SPÖ and NEOS contributed to this election success, which formed a triple coalition after the election.

A look at the story

The term "third republic" was originally launched by the Styrian People's Party, but gained great popularity in the late 1990s. In one of their 1994 programs, ambitious plans have already been made that should significantly change the approach to the government. These ideals are still up to date and form the basis for Kickl's advance. A central point of the Haider era was the indictment to the social partners and unions, which resulted in not only a new political rhetoric, but also a restrictive cultural policy.

So the political landscape in Austria is in transition, and it seems that the debate about the "Third Republic" will continue to cause discussion. In view of the current surveys and movements within the FPÖ, it remains to be seen how the political agenda will develop. Salzburg could thus become the nucleus for far -reaching changes that captivate both supporters and opponents.

For more information about Herbert Kickl and the ideas for the third republic, see Radio Bielefeld,, Germany radio and Wikipedia.