"Krone" commentary

Soft as chalk

Conny Bischofberger comments on current moments for the "Krone".

(Bild: stock.adobe.com, Krone KREATIV)

Herbert Kickl in one of his rare television appearances - the ratings are going through the roof. While the FPÖ leader was answering questions from Gerhard Koller yesterday, krone.tv's live market shares reached those of ATV, PULS 24 and ntv. In the end, we even overtook the private broadcasters.

The audience witnessed a completely changed Herbert Kickl. Only once, when the presenter asked him about the "poisoning" of the Green Vice-Chancellor, did Kickl retort and mention Werner Kogler in the same breath as "Promille". It remained his only little nasty remark during the entire broadcast. Instead, the words "setting the course", "order" and "security" were often used. The blue party leader promised a "policy for his own people", invoked the "incredible power of the voter" and reminded the audience that there is always one winner and several losers in an election. The latter would have to reckon with him and would then move on. He was not thinking of "self-abnegation".

This was not a poisonous dwarf speaking, but a politician who had just completed a change of strategy. From belligerent beer tent speaker to soft-spoken top candidate. Calm, serious, almost statesmanlike. As if he had realized that a so-called "people's chancellor", as he likes to see himself, should not scare off his voters with brute rhetoric.