"Krone" commentary

The secret of good governance

Soccer, morning pint, food, fresh air. There are worse things than a vacation from the news. After the domestic political holidays, there is still the EU election campaign to get through. Then comes the summer vacation. This is followed by the National Council elections and - poof - Austria is left with a different government.

The future coalition, regardless of the color combination, will have to do more than just maneuver through the crises. A civil servant government could do the same.

Good governance is the intention to make the next few years better than the present.

Good politics needs at least a hint of an idea that inspires. Just as the SPÖ once gave generations of working-class children self-confidence through education. Or the old ÖVP, which led Austria into the European Community. Or when the Greens, who had not yet been forced into a party, fought to save the Hainburger Au.

At the moment, politics is spreading more bad humor than confidence. Simply lamenting the rise of the FPÖ is not yet a program.

The Chancellor's party was instinctively on the right track with its not exactly dewy-eyed idea of a "Leitkultur for Austria". But the ÖVP once again scuppered its plan itself using the steam hammer method.

It would be helpful to recall what defines us and who we want to be. This would make it clear where we stand and where we are going in order to avoid falling somewhere.