Incendiary speech in the state parliament

Before drunk Tesla crash, the blue party curses e-cars

Shortly before the accident with his Tesla, for which Sommer apologized, the FPÖ member of the Lower Austrian state parliament was still railing against electric cars.(Bild: Krone KREATIV/Landtag NÖ, Imre Antal, Allison Dinner)

There was much malice after it became known that an FPÖ member of parliament from Lower Austria had crashed his Tesla on Vienna's Nordbrücke bridge while drunk as a skunk. Even before the 28-year-old crashed into another car on Friday night, he had been driving on the rim. A piquant fact: Michael Sommer had previously railed against electric cars in the provincial parliament in St. Pölten. The "Krone" has the video (see above).

On the Monday after the EU elections, liberal party members gathered in St. Pölten. A white Tesla with green Viennese e-license plates was also parked in front of the headquarters in Purkersdorferstraße in the afternoon. It is not known who owns the electric vehicle. However, one person was probably not at the wheel: FPÖ member of parliament Michael Sommer had to surrender his driver's license for the time being after a drunk driving crash on Friday.

Shortly before the accident with his Tesla, for which Sommer apologized, the FPÖ member of the Lower Austrian state parliament was still railing against e-cars.(Bild: Krone KREATIV/Landtag NÖ, Imre Antal, Allison Dinner)

Crash followed apology
The 28-year-old, who is also chairman of the Blue Party Youth in Lower Austria, was naturally contrite after the embarrassing incident. Apart from the touching apology, the Weinviertel native remained remarkably calm. However, before he crashed his Tesla in Vienna after a private party, Sommer attracted attention with an incendiary speech against e-cars.

I am aware of my serious mistake and regret it very much. I am ashamed of it and sincerely apologize. It will never happen again

Michael Sommer (FPÖ) nach dem Unfall

"Preach water and drink wine"
There was much malice online, and many Krone readers could not hold back their comments. The fact that the Freedom Party leader was traveling in an electric car from a US manufacturer was a particular source of ridicule: "As an FPÖ man, he should actually be driving a Russian diesel," said one user. Another joked, alluding to the politician's level of alcoholization: "He was really blue."

One forum participant explained why the person concerned should actually be referred to by their full name: "As a politician, you're in the public eye. That's just the way it is. If you want to be part of the law, you should behave like one. But unfortunately that's not the case across the board. With all parties."

Tesla driver delivers incendiary speech against e-cars
But back to Michael Sommer, who was largely unknown to the general public before his unfortunate accident in Vienna. This is despite the fact that he is not only a local councillor in his home town of Hollabrunn, but has also been a member of parliament for the FPÖ for more than a year. Among other things, he attracted attention there with his critical comments on the Supply Chain Act, which is intended to hold companies in the EU accountable for the social and environmental impact of their production.

In the production of their beloved electric cars, child labor and environmental pollution occur on a massive scale in the extraction of the necessary resources.

Michael Sommer (FPÖ) am 23. Mai 2024 im NÖ Landtag

True to the blue party line, he also demonized electromobility, equating the production of electric cars with child labour and environmental pollution. However, he preferred not to mention that the financial advisor himself - reportedly the only FPÖ member of parliament - drives a Tesla.

The entire video can be viewed on the homepage of the Lower Austrian state parliament.