Austria’s ruling Social Democrats (SPO) attacked their conservative coalition partners yesterday, accusing them of fixating on immigration and adopting gimmicks to win votes ahead of an October election.
Chancellor Christian Kern’s party is second or third in the polls, trailing the conservative People’s Party (OVP) which jumped into first place after picking a young new leader and forcing the snap parliamentary election, which will be held on October 15.
“They want to talk about refugees all day long. Not about how we will create jobs, affordable apartments, secure pensions or the best education for our children,” Kern told a meeting of the party to approve its list of election candidates.
Under 30-year-old Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz who was picked to lead the OVP in May, the party overtook the hard-right Freedom Party in the polls.
Kurz has provided few details policies but has made a hard line on immigration his hallmark.
Kern mocked Kurz for rebranding the party list as a “movement” that will include people from outside the party, a move seen as mimicking French President Emmanuel Macron’s campaign.
“We don’t have to take out newspaper advertisements to convince people we’re new. We are not new. On the contrary, our idea has a proud history. Our idea has existed for a very long time: the idea that all people are equal and have the right to a good life,” Kern said. “And if that’s the case, we don’t need to invent anything. No new colour and no pop-star casting for the party list.”
Launching its election programme, the SPO said it would prioritise growth and employment, reiterating many policies it set out in a list of proposals in January.