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Politics

Right-wing rise in Austria: Threat for Europe?

26:00

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October 20, 2017

Conservative politician Sebastian Kurz has won Austria’s elections by espousing right-wing positions. What consequences will that have for Europe? Guests this time: Ulrike Herrmann (taz), Frank Hofmann (DW), Matthew Karnitschnig (Politico).

Our guests:

Image: DW

Ulrike Herrmann is a journalist for Germany's taz daily newspaper. She says, "The swing to the right in Austria is not an exception, but the norm. All of Europe is shifting to the right."

Image: DW

 



Frank Hofmann is DW's Eastern Europe expert. He says, "If Vienna positions itself as a right-wing populist force in Europe, Paris will respond with a strong core Europe. Then the populists surrounding Viktor Orbán in central-eastern Europe would be left behind."

Image: DW

 

Matthew Karnitschnig - who has Austrian roots - is Politico's chief European correspondent. He thinks that, "Austria's course is not a threat to Europe, but a threat to the vision of closer integration pushed by French President Macron and the EU Commission."