Tuesday

3rd Oct 2023

EU gives blessing to Austria's far-right deal

  • Juncker (r, with Kurz, l): "I look at the government program and I have reasonable confidence that this will be a pro-European government." (Photo: European Commission)

The EU has given its blessing to Austria's new government on grounds it is "pro-European", despite its far-right element.

"We will judge the Austrian government on its deeds," Eurpean Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker said at a joint press conference with Austrian prime minister Sebastian Kurz in Brussels on Tuesday evening (19 December).

Read and decide

Join EUobserver today

Become an expert on Europe

Get instant access to all articles — and 20 years of archives. 14-day free trial.

... or subscribe as a group

  • Thirty one year-old Kurz (l) is Austria's youngest leader (Photo: ec.europa.eu)

"I look at the government program and I have reasonable confidence that this will be a pro-European government," Juncker said.

The 31-year old Kurz came to the EU capital one day after being sworn into office to prove Austria's pro-EU credentials after his centre-right Austrian People's Party (OVP) party joined a coalition with the far-right Freedom Party (FPO).

"We are a pro-European country, we are actively involved in the EU, and we would like this to continue," Kurz told reporters, adding: "We wish to make a contribution to a strong EU."

He pledged to do so by making use of the notion of "subsidiarity", taking more decisions at a lower lever to improve efficiency and reduce bureaucracy.

Kurz also met with European Council chief Donald Tusk, who said he had "no doubt" about the trustworthiness of Austria as a partner. He called Kurz an "energetic, determined and pro-European leader".

Concerns arose over FPO deal due to the party's openly anti-Semitic and Nazi-apologetic past.

The FPO is a member of the same political family that harbours anti-EU, anti-immigration and anti-Muslim figures such as France's Marine Le Pen and the Dutch politician Geert Wilders.

FPO fingerprints were all over Kurz's government program, which set out a tough stance on migration, promoted an detente with Russia and offered citizenship to Austrians in Italy's South Tyrol, something Kurz said he wanted to discuss with Italian PM Paolo Gentiloni.

The deal was the latest signal that mainstream politics in Europe had shifted to the right in the wake of the migration and economic crises.

Bridging

Kurz, in Brussels, also wanted to dispel concern that his coalition partners would pull eurozone-member Austria away from the core of Europe and align it with central European countries that have challenged the EU's liberal-democratic values.

"We wish to make a contribution to upholding the rule of law, upholding our rules and values, and make sure all are observed everywhere in Europe, and that there is no exception," Kurz said, speaking on the eve of a commission decision on whether to launch punitive action against the right-wing government in Poland.

Kurz said he wanted to "help to build bridges between east and west" in Europe.

But his migration policy was more in line with the Visegrad countries of central Europe than with the EU core.

Kurz said that while Austria respected the decision on relocating migrants from frontline EU countries such as Greece and Italy, he thought "relocation alone will not be the answer to solve the migration crisis".

"What we need is to secure our external border. We have to decide who is allowed to come to Europe, not the smugglers should decide," he said, echoing the concerns of his eastern neighbours.

Different age

Underlying Austria's pro-European position is important for the EU institutions as Austria will take over the rotating presidency of the EU Council from July next year.

Juncker noted that Austria will have a chance to influence EU policy next year, by saying Austria's presidency program reflected "almost 100 percent" of the commission's priorities.

The warm Brussels welcome was very different from what greeted the FPO's first coalition attempt in 2000 - at a time when Kurz was 14 years old - when EU countries applied sanctions in an effort to keep the FPO at arm's length.

Juncker grew frustrated during the press conference with questions on the far right participating in the Austrian government, and pointed out that even 17 years ago it was not the EU institutions, but member states that imposed sanctions.

"Why are we making a whole thing out of Austria when we are partially blind to other countries? This is a pro-European government and that's it," Juncker said, noting that he also worked with governments in Greece, Slovenia and Bulgaria that had extremist elements.

Kurz, defending his country's democratic credentials, said: "Austria is a strong democracy, we had a free and fair election, and the population has taken a decision, which has to be accepted."

Opinion

Sebastian Kurz - Austria's young master of reinvention?

Has the long decline of Austria's mainstream parties finally come to an end? The centre-right People's Party seems to have successfully reinvented itself...or has it simply stolen the far-right Freedom Party's clothes?

EU silent on Austria's 'pro-Europe' far-right in cabinet

Thousands of anti-fascist demonstrators protested against the new government in Vienna on Monday, as the EU remained muted on the new far-right party in an EU government, which – unlike similar hard-right parties – wants to portray itself as pro-European.

Germany casts doubt on Austrian intelligence sharing

An Austrian police unit headed by a far-right town councilor and tasked to tackle street crime was sent to raid the offices and homes of people working for Austria's domestic intelligence agency - prompting German counterparts to review cooperation.

Opinion

Why EU Commission dumped Google's favourite consultant

This should be a wake-up call to ensure consultancy firms with a vested interest are permanently excluded from public tenders. The close relationship between the EU's competition authority and economic consultants poses a serious risk to its independence.

Latest News

  1. EU demands 'full clarity' from Warsaw on visa-scandal
  2. EU reveals 10 'critical tech' in bid to de-risk from China
  3. EU Commission at a loss over latest snub from Tunisia
  4. Northern Europe — the new Nato/Russia frontline
  5. The EU-Kenya free trade deal shows a waning 'Brussels effect'
  6. Hoekstra pledges to phase-out fossil fuel subsidies
  7. 10 years on from the Lampedusa shipwreck — what's changed?
  8. EU ministers go to Kyiv to downplay fears on US, Slovak aid

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. Nordic Council of MinistersThe Nordic Region is stepping up its efforts to reduce food waste
  2. International Medical Devices Regulators Forum (IMDRF)Join regulators, industry & healthcare experts at the 24th IMDRF session, September 25-26, Berlin. Register by 20 Sept to join in person or online.
  3. UNOPSUNOPS begins works under EU-funded project to repair schools in Ukraine
  4. Georgia Ministry of Foreign AffairsGeorgia effectively prevents sanctions evasion against Russia – confirm EU, UK, USA
  5. International Medical Devices Regulators Forum (IMDRF)Join regulators & industry experts at the 24th IMDRF session- Berlin September 25-26. Register early for discounted hotel rates
  6. Nordic Council of MinistersGlobal interest in the new Nordic Nutrition Recommendations – here are the speakers for the launch

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. Nordic Council of Ministers20 June: Launch of the new Nordic Nutrition Recommendations
  2. International Sustainable Finance CentreJoin CEE Sustainable Finance Summit, 15 – 19 May 2023, high-level event for finance & business
  3. ICLEISeven actionable measures to make food procurement in Europe more sustainable
  4. World BankWorld Bank Report Highlights Role of Human Development for a Successful Green Transition in Europe
  5. Nordic Council of MinistersNordic summit to step up the fight against food loss and waste
  6. Nordic Council of MinistersThink-tank: Strengthen co-operation around tech giants’ influence in the Nordics

Join EUobserver

Support quality EU news

Join us