Is it all just marketing?

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(Bild: krone.tv)

We have a "party virus" in Austria, says David Packer from the "Best Austria" movement. The constitution is good, but the party virus comes in many different colors. "Parties don't represent the people, they only ever represent themselves. The virus runs through all public areas, including the ORF," says Packer in an interview with Jana Pasching. He also sees the "party virus" as the cause of the crisis we are living in.

Packer wants to run with his movement for both the National Council elections and the European elections, but needs the necessary signatures to do so. For the EU elections, they must be submitted this Friday. "So far, we have tried to go through MEPs (one signature required) or members of the National Council (three signatures required) - or to collect the 2,600 declarations of support. "But that's completely impossible these days and you can see that from the results of who actually makes it." Five parties are fixed on the ballot paper for the EU elections in June - namely the ÖVP, SPÖ, FPÖ, Greens and NEOS National Council parties, which can draw on MPs. However, the KPÖ is likely to add at least a sixth.

Politics as a stage for staging
Packer thinks little of possible enticements in return for declarations of support. "Offering beer in exchange for declarations of support, as one beer party chairman Dominik Wlazny did in the presidential election, is reprehensible in my opinion and is actually a business model. He just uses it as publicity. In my view, politics must not and should not be a stage for staging." He is also unsurprised that the pan-European party VOLT gave away Taylor Swift tickets in return, and is now facing criminal proceedings following a complaint from the Federal Ministry of the Interior.

David Packer from the "Best Austria" movement

(Bild: krone.tv)

Citizens' councils for more participation
Packer advocates more citizen participation through citizens' councils, which are to be drawn from a broad cross-section of the population and develop solutions with the help of experts. These solutions are then used to reach decisions in the National Council or the European Parliament, for example, explains Packer. "Politicians and parties cannot then vote according to their own interests, but must adhere to the results of the citizens' councils."

Packer dreams "that Austria will once again become a state in which there is a certain quality of life." Because things are going massively downhill. In evolutionary terms, Packer also believes it would be logical for the party system to evolve. "They once made sense, but now it's time for something new."