This summer will be a hot one. And no, this is not a comment on the global warming, nor an interpretation of a meteorology map. Europe is going through some heavy heat waves in the last weeks, resulting in high pressure on the conservatives and the far right in the EU politics. And Austria, unlike the traditional 10 years delay, is leading the temperature ranks. “Ibiza, Strache und Kurz danach” reality show expanded our already overdosed screen time – even more than the last season of Game of Thrones. We all followed the show, waiting patiently for each episode to reveal. We got one visual confirmation after the other of what we all were previously thinking. And with bittersweet melody saying – eh klar – Austrian politics.
After 17 months in parliament, in his first public statement after the vote of no confidence (Misstrauensvotum) this is what the ex-chancellor decided to share with us: “Today the parliament has decided, but in the end, the people decide …” Kurz, known as being very attentive to the people’s decisions aka non-smoking referendum, presented to us a whole new perspective on this crisis. He immediately started his re-election campaign and positioned himself as the victim of some left or extreme right conspiracy. He did as a chancellor. He expresses his wish to continue his “good job” as a chancellor. 12 hours working day? Increasing rent? Dealing with health insurance companies? Threatening freedom of press? “Good job” might be a question of definition; I don’t think so.
Those heat waves hit Austria as well, and the pressure is high. The people already said: Genug ist genug! and as a result the National Council expresses for the first time a distrust of the entire federal government in Austria. This summer people who have no wish to live in a polarized class society should leave the bubble and travel across Austria. Reach out to voters with summerly utopian Ibizan feeling, join the Donnerstag demonstrations and remind us all in what kind of society we want to live together.
Sheri Avraham ist Vorsitzende der IG Bildende Kunst
