Austrian presidential elections

[Innsbruckblue]

Today is a big day in Austria - the presidential elections. There are two candidates, Norbert Hofer from the far-right party, and Alexander van der Bellen from the Greens. As an ex-pat, I'm not allowed to vote, but this election could have serious consequences, not just for Austria, but the EU as well, as Hofer has already made his stance on foreigners clear.
This is now the second ballot, the final one. The first ballot was won by Hofer but he failed to achieve an overall majority. Hopefully, his party has peaked, and the Austrians will see sense today.
Mrs Innsbruck is the campaign leader for Van der Bellen in the whole of Tyrol, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that she comes through victorious and the rest of the country does, too.

 

[BimboBob]

Doesn't his position carry very little power?


Immigration is one issue that concerns every country in the EU. If they are going to do deals with Turkey, let in the Ukraine plus other countries and try and force member states to accept refugees/ asylum seekers, then a certain percentage of the population will look for alternative answers, like shutting the borders, pulling out of the EU or electing right wingers who promise a different way.

A lot of the ex soviet bloc countries are still inherently racist in their outlook. Look at the support for the extreme parties in places like Poland and even Germany. Minimal it might be but they are growing. I have a few Polish friends, settled over here, married, kids, jobs and mortgages and they still don't like non whites.

 

[dronefromsector7G]

Today is a big day in Austria - the presidential elections. There are two candidates, Norbert Hofer from the far-right party, and Alexander van der Bellen from the Greens. As an ex-pat, I'm not allowed to vote, but this election could have serious consequences, not just for Austria, but the EU as well, as Hofer has already made his stance on foreigners clear.
This is now the second ballot, the final one. The first ballot was won by Hofer but he failed to achieve an overall majority. Hopefully, his party has peaked, and the Austrians will see sense today.
Mrs Innsbruck is the campaign leader for Van der Bellen in the whole of Tyrol, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that she comes through victorious and the rest of the country does, too.

How has it reached a point where the far right could win this vote?

 

[hgblue]

Dragging the people of Europe in a direction they don't want to travel will result in a right wing backlash. This has been long predicted and is starting to happen across the continent. Frighteningly Le Pen could be next, yet mainstream politicians still seem to think what people want is more integration. They couldn't be more wrong.

 

[Innsbruckblue]

Doesn't his position carry very little power?

That's what I thought, too. But it appears that he has the power to request dissolution of the reigning government. Whether that can happen in practical terms is not known as there is no precedent for it.

 

[Nails]

Dragging the people of Europe in a direction they don't want to travel will result in a right wing backlash. This has been long predicted and is starting to happen across the continent. Frighteningly Le Pen could be next, yet mainstream politicians still seem to think what people want is more integration. They couldn't be more wrong.

So you support segregation, then? That policy hasn't worked too well in the Paris suburbs, has it?

 

[urmston]

Democracy at work. I will respect and celebrate the decision of the Austrian people.

The EU is full of right-wing parties which are gaining in popularity at a fast pace.

That tells me all I need to know about the success of the EU project and I am voting Leave.

 

[Innsbruckblue]

How has it reached a point where the far right could win this vote?

The traditional 'big two' parties have just collapsed in the last couple of years, similar to Labour and Conservative in Scotland. This has created a power vacuum (the Prime Minister just resigned the other week) and, coupled with Austria being in the middle of the refugee crisis, has seen a rise in right-wing thinking.

 

[Stuuuuuu]

Democracy at work. I will respect and celebrate the decision of the Austrian people.

The EU is full of right-wing parties which are gaining in popularity at a fast pace.

That tells me all I need to know about the success of the EU project and I am voting Leave.

We won't pretend to be surprised.

 

[Stuuuuuu]

Today is a big day in Austria - the presidential elections. There are two candidates, Norbert Hofer from the far-right party, and Alexander van der Bellen from the Greens. As an ex-pat, I'm not allowed to vote, but this election could have serious consequences, not just for Austria, but the EU as well, as Hofer has already made his stance on foreigners clear.
This is now the second ballot, the final one. The first ballot was won by Hofer but he failed to achieve an overall majority. Hopefully, his party has peaked, and the Austrians will see sense today.
Mrs Innsbruck is the campaign leader for Van der Bellen in the whole of Tyrol, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that she comes through victorious and the rest of the country does, too.

You mean immigrant, right?