Right-wing extremism

State security keeps an eye on young blue politician

FPÖ provincial party chairman Manfred Haimbuchner with FJ provincial chairman Silvio Hemmelmayr(Bild: Tino Andrea Fraccaroli)

As a speaker at a right-wing demonstration in Vienna, an Upper Austrian FPÖ functionary announced that the Freedom Youth would join forces with the Identitarians. He announced the "start of something really, really big". This incident is also reflected in the current report on the protection of the constitution. 

The recently published 2023 report on the protection of the constitution breaks with a taboo: for the first time, it refers to the involvement of a parliamentary party in the activities of the far-right scene. Specifically, the report mentions a "right-wing party and its front organization". This primarily refers to the Freedom Youth (FJ) and its relationship with the Identitarians (IBÖ).

The report also specifically mentions an action by the Upper Austrian FJ regional chairman and Eferding FP municipal councillor Silvio Hemmelmayr, who was a speaker at a "remigration demo" organized by the Identitarians with foreign participants (Germany, Italy, Belgium and Switzerland).

Closing ranks between IBÖ and FJ
On July 29, 2023, the 27-year-old lawyer publicly announced in Vienna that the IBÖ and his FJ had joined forces, which would be "just the beginning of something really, really big".

It is clear that Hemmelmayr and the Blue Youth are now enjoying special attention from the state security forces.

"I think this is completely exaggerated - I'm not an enemy of the constitution, I'm on its side," Hemmelmayr emphasizes in the "Krone" interview. The alliance with the IBÖ refers to the fact that they are against Islamization and illegal immigration.