1 year black-blue

A “waddle dance” to mark the coalition’s anniversary

Sven Hergovich (left) plays opposition, Johanna Mikl-Leitner and Udo Landbauer govern the country together.(Bild: SEPA Media/Josef Bollwein, www.picturedesk.com/Helmut Fohringer, Krone KREATIV)

Black-Blue has been in power in Lower Austria for a year now. For this reason, the ÖVP wags off the SPÖ - and vice versa. And the Freedom Party must be laughing up their sleeves at these political performances.

"Our fellow countrymen have the highest purchasing power and the highest per capita income in the whole of Austria." Governor Johanna Mikl-Leitner is celebrating the first anniversary of her ÖVP's coalition with the FPÖ with this statement, which many citizens would probably not make when looking into their own wallets. The more than 200-point pact, which "bears a clear civic signature", has been professionally worked through: "This is how Lower Austria works!"

SPÖ detects hollow phrases
SPÖ party managing director Wolfgang Zwander takes a different view. He denies that the state coalition has "problem-solving skills". And he is trying to divide the two parties: "The ÖVP and FPÖ now lack any common ground." Zwander identifies "hollow phrases on the part of the governing majority to distract from the increasingly pressing problems".

After one year of a black-blue government, the problems are much greater than the solutions on offer. This leads to very understandable resentment among the population.

Wolfgang Zwander, Landesgeschäftsführer der SPÖ

Bild: SPÖ NÖ

ÖVP gives Hergovich a "Not enough"
Zwander's ÖVP counterpart Matthias Zauner draws completely different conclusions from a year of government work: SPÖ leader Sven Hergovich is trying to portray himself as the opposition, "although he is part of the provincial government": "And is also paid accordingly." The SPÖ mainly attracts attention through "half-truths, populist statements and political petty money changing". Zauner's conclusion: If Hergovich were a pupil, he would earn a "fail".

What should not be forgotten: Hergovich is responsible for building law. However, he has not felt it necessary to take action in this area.

Matthias Zauner, Landesgeschäftsführer der ÖVP

FPÖ keeps a low profile
And what are the Freedom Party doing? State deputy leader Udo Landbauer and his team are keeping a conspicuously low profile with statements on the coalition anniversary. The FPÖ watches the "waddle dance", enjoys and remains silent . . .