KPÖ on the congress of the Communist Party of France

Statement of Waltraud Stiefsohn, vice-chairperson of KPÖ, on the political situation in Austria at the congress of the Communist Party of France:

Since February Austria has a new government, that is formed from her second and third-strongest party, the People’s Party (ÖVP) and the Freedom Party (FPÖ). Before, government-negotiations had failed between the Social Democratic Party (SPÖ) and the ÖVP. The cause for the failure lied not so much in differences regarding the content - the bulk of the present government measures was already negotiated and formed into a coalition pact by these two parties - but in the end in the fact, that Schüssel (chair of ÖVP) wanted to become Chancellor with the help of the FPÖ. In consequence the government participation of the FPÖ has evoked massive protests within Austria and in foreign countries.

The democratic and non-violent resistance the new government is confronted with, its width and endurance, surprises supporters and opponents as well.

Four fifth of the Austrians have not voted for Haider. Austria is no Haider-country!

The FPÖ is a party of the extreme right, that has grown since the middle of the 80s from a 7 percent to a 27 percent party. It has been able to profile itself within parts of the working class and within the underprivileged as a representative of their interests against the background of a continuous development to the right through social dismantling, state-racism and through the neoliberal reshaping of capitalism forced by the EU. ÖVP and SPÖ are responsible for this development. The politics of the FPÖ is the symptom with the most serious political effects, but not the sole cause of the racist climate in the country.

The programme of the black-blue government will intensify the social contradictions and will bring about massive changes on the political, cultural and ideological level.

By creating a racist, chauvinistic and aggressive atmosphere, the social clearances shall be pushed through. The government programme is a programme of social cruelties, social reduction, deregulations and privatisations. Altogether it is about an accelerated redistribution from below towards the top, about the dismantling of social rights, about the destruction of the social-state, about extensive privatisations and the sale of economic and industrial substance to the German large capital, about the elimination of the Austrian neutrality in favour of a Nato-joining of Austria.

One canexpect a new quality in the execution of this politics because a government cameinto power in Austria, that is ready to abandon for the first time thesocial-partnership consensus, that has shaped Austria for decades. That willmean that social measures should be pushed through without the consent of theAustrian trade union association.

Theresignation of Haider as chairman of the FPÖ is to be valued rather as awithdrawal to rearrange his forces than a retreat . His step has to beconsidered as a tactical variation in order to improve decisively theprerequisites for the actual onrush on the chancellery.

For weeks,ten thousands of people have been participating at demonstrations under themotto: „Resistance against black-blue, against racism and social reduction”,daily at the beginning, now weekly. On the 19. February 300.000 took part. Anenormous politisation took place. At the moment, the students prepare strikesand other forms of resistance.

All in allthe movement is  very popular andplural built. An opinion poll yielded that 70% of the under 35-year old and amajority of the Viennese population are positively adjusted to the protests.

The KPÖ isan active part of this extraparliamentary movement, that could possibly be abeginning for political, social and democratic processes beyond establishedpower structures.

Weacknowledge the measures of the fourteen EU-governments. We see them howeverambivalently. On the one hand, because these EU-interventions try to exertmassive pressure on domestic processes within a member country, and thus anextraordinarily dangerous door has been opened. Today, the measures of thegovernments are aimed at a right-right coalition, another time they could turnagainst left and centre-left governments. On the other hand we welcome the factthat governments condemn the participation of an extreme right wing and racistparty in the government of a European country. But fundamentally we want tostress the fact, that the right-wing extremism represents an all - European -problem that has to do with the anti-social measures of European integration orthe excluding Schengen - agreement. The concrete politics of the EU is in ouropinion to a large extent responsible for the growing of chauvinist and extremeright atmosphere.

If we speakabout international solidarity we have above all in mind the organisations ofthe civil society, the NGO’s, the labour unions, the left parties and theanti-racist and/or feminist movements in Europe. We express ourselves againstsuch boycott measures that would block or impede this level of exchange betweenthe peoples, we see however in the current situation chances for a renewedinternationalism.

23. - 27.March, 2000