Concerning Salzburg

No revenge for corona politics

"Salzburg-Krone" editor-in-chief Claus Pándi comments on the FPÖ's "yes" to Karoline Edtstadler as governor.

It was an expected farewell. But when Wilfried Haslauer handed over his office to Karoline Edtstadler instead of Stefan Schnöll, quite a few people felt completely taken by surprise: citizens who had voted for the ÖVP a year and a half ago with completely different expectations, Haslauer's party friends and, above all, his coalition partner Marlene Svazek.

Despite Karoline Edtstadler's reputation and qualifications, the news that she was to become provincial governor was not met with enthusiasm everywhere. This is mainly to do with politics in the coronavirus era. Although the pandemic was ages ago, many people are resentful about the issue. Especially fans of the FPÖ.

It is therefore all the more remarkable that Svazek is not seizing the opportunity now, orienting herself towards her voters and causing the government to collapse. On the contrary: Svazek is carrying on with Edtstadler as governor as if nothing had happened. People who know Svazek better were already predicting that she would only create a threatening backdrop but act as a cool pragmatist.

Given the state the ÖVP is in, Svazek would have had the best chance of winning first place if the elections had been brought forward. However, she has let the triumph slip and is content with a compulsory exercise of rudeness against Edtstadler. So everything remains as it was.

Svazek has arrived in top politics.