FPÖ sympathies the reason?

Tyrolean industry reception with many an absentee

LH Anton Mattle and IV President Max Kloger at the start of the reception on Tuesday. After Kloger's statements, there was less laughter.(Bild: Recka Hammann)

Where were they? With the exception of the Chamber of Commerce, the social partners were conspicuous by their absence at the Tyrolean Federation of Industry's New Year's reception in Hall. Was this due to the industry's open display of sympathy for a possible future FPÖ government? Meanwhile, a conflict is brewing between business and the AK.

New brooms sweep clean. This statement could also be applied to the New Year's reception of the Tyrolean Industrialists' Association on Tuesday evening. Neo-President Max Kloger had not only moved the location of the reception to the Salzlager in Hall (for almost decades the reception had been held in the Congress Innsbruck), but also completely changed the previous "format" of the speech. The usually eagerly awaited frontal speeches by former presidents such as Arthur Thöni or, most recently, Christoph Swarovski for eight years, were replaced by a more "gentle interview dialog" on stage in a seated position. It's no secret that the body language and therefore the emotions are close to zero.