Side blow to the Greens?

NEOS campaign for climate protection ahead of EU elections

Helmut Brandstätter, top candidate of the NEOS(Bild: APA/GEORG HOCHMUTH)

In the EU election campaign, the NEOS are campaigning for a United States and now also for climate protection (see video above). "We need to go even further to achieve the climate targets by 2030," said EU candidate Anna Stürkgh. The EU's Green Deal was driven forward without the Greens.

"We are not sinking into chaos," commented NEOS leader Beate Meinl-Reisinger on the current turmoil among the Greens. She does not believe that this has led to the party now emphasizing climate policy more strongly. In addition, the NEOS would also "pursue climate policy with heart and brain", said EU lead candidate Helmut Brandstätter, alluding to the election campaign slogans of Green candidate Lena Schilling.

Helmut Brandstätter(Bild: APA/Roland Schlager)

Beate Meinl-Reisinger(Bild: APA/HELMUT FOHRINGER)

Connecting with the economy
This must be connected with the economy. "We won't stop climate change if we don't have the economy on board," said Stürgkh. At the same time, the economy has no future if it does not adapt to climate change. Specifically, the party proposes, among other things, practical climate legislation, a uniform CO₂ price across Europe and cutting climate-damaging subsidies.

The NEOS also reiterated its call for an exit from Russian gas. The SPÖ, on the other hand, is not reliable with regard to its position on Russia, the ÖVP lacks a positive vision of the opportunities presented by climate change and the FPÖ is "flirting" with an exit from the EU. The EU policy of the other parties is being pursued according to the motto "Wash me, but don't get me wet".