Demonstrations against the right also in Austria
Published: Friday, Jan 26th 2024, 22:30
Updated At: Friday, Jan 26th 2024, 22:30
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In Austria, tens of thousands of people took part in demonstrations against right-wing extremism. According to police estimates, up to 35,000 people gathered in front of the parliament building in Vienna on Friday evening. Under the slogan "Defend democracy!", the participants wanted to send a signal against right-wing extremism, racism and anti-Semitism. With their cell phones, they formed a sea of lights around the National Council building.
People also took to the streets in Innsbruck and Salzburg, following the example of the mass protests against right-wing extremism in Germany. The demonstrations were supported by many civil society and political organizations.
At the demonstrations, participants warned that the right-wing FPÖ could come into government after the parliamentary elections. The right-wing populists have been in first place in polls since the end of 2022, well ahead of the opposition Social Democrats (SPÖ) and the conservative ÖVP chancellor's party. The FPÖ currently has almost 30 percent of voters behind it.
The links between the FPÖ and the extreme right-wing Identitarians have recently been the focus of public attention. FPÖ leader Herbert Kickl described the Identitarians in 2021 as an "NGO from the right" with which there are overlaps in terms of content. Martin Sellner, the former head of the Identitarian movement in Austria, spoke about "remigration" at the recently publicized meeting of right-wing extremists in Potsdam. By this, right-wing extremists mean that many people of foreign origin should be expelled.
Two weeks ago, FPÖ Secretary General Christian Hafenecker defended the AfD representatives who took part in the Potsdam meeting as "patriotic politicians".
©Keystone/SDA
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