"Krone" commentary
Why the debate on conscription misses the point
Against the backdrop of a changing world order, shaped by Trump's MAGA fantasies, security should be the top priority. Nevertheless, the current discussion about extending conscription in Austria seems like a provincial farce. Not because the issue is unimportant, but because the approach is wrong. While the population feels that it is not being heard on key issues such as migration, education, pensions, and housing, conscription is being hyped up as a symbolic proxy debate.
The result: a clear majority rejects the planned referendum. Why? Because the federal government's military service commission has done itself a disservice. Instead of presenting a well-founded defense strategy—neutrality and armament are not a contradiction—it presented a result without transparency and without dialogue.
First we need the defense strategy, then its implementation. What should a federal army look like in a changing world order? How can neutrality and deterrence be combined? As long as these questions remain unanswered, it hardly matters whether it is six months of basic military service plus two months of training or six months plus 100 days. The debate is degenerating into a farce, while more pressing issues such as the future of pensions or high housing costs are being neglected.
The Chancellor has shown in the pension reform that he can make tough but understandable decisions. It would be similarly courageous to increase incomes by reducing non-wage labor costs. Security policy also needs a clear line. Instead of getting sidetracked, the government should address the issues that affect citizens the most: the strain on social services caused by migration, which threatens social cohesion.
Those who lead with a steady hand to convincing solutions will be rewarded in the next election. Because this is not about a referendum, but about what really counts: the trust of the voters.
Aurelius
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