The great conundrum of democracy is being tested in Austria. What if the people vote for representatives who do not uphold democratic values and who, in an extreme situation, move to end democracy? What if those representatives get a majority or a balance of power?
It is happening in Austria in the wake of last year’s stalemated election. It is what happened in German in 1933 and led to Hitler coming to power. In Germany in 1933, however, Hitler had fewer obstacles. The president at the time, former World War I general Paul von Hindenburg was an old man with little power of resistance. Austria is in a better position with President Thomas Klestil. Mr Klestil is in an invidious position, largely brought about by the actions of the centre-right Austrian People’s Party which has signed a coalition with the far-right People’s Party. Together they have a majority in the Parliament. Mr Klestil therefore has no choice but to let them form government. However, he has not been completely compliant. He has required the People’s Party, headed by Joerg Haider, to sign a pledge to respect democratic values. Perhaps this will give him some armoury later if Mr Haider abuses his power. It will also go some way to reducing fears elsewhere in Europe about trends in Austria.
Those fears are significant and well-founded. Europe has a bloody history, even in very recent times. It has had fierce political upheaval in many countries. It has been divided with east and west facing each other while armed with nuclear weapons for much of the 20th century. The prospect of a party led by Mr Haider – a man who has praised Hitler for among other things his orderly economic and employment policies — forming coalition Government in Austria must horrify and terrify European leaders, particularly those who have worked so hard to create and sustain the European Union.
The immediate cause of the situation was the desire for the leader of the Austrian People’s Party Wolfgang Schuessel to be Chancellor after decades of centre-left rule by the Social Democrats, most recently under out-going Chancellor Viktor Klima. Mr Klima abandoned attempts to form a coalition with Mr Schuessel last month. Mr Schuessel should have refused to entertain a coalition with the People’s Party and allowed Mr Klima to govern in minority if he could not persuade Mr Klima to let him (Mr Schuessel) to govern in minority. Mr Schuessel has also blocked any move to hold another election because his party is down in the polls.
Mr Klima must also share some of the blame. One of the reasons the Freedom Party got so much of the vote at last year’s election was because of the stifling Nanny State attitude of the Social Democrats. There was too much government interference in the Austrian economy. Unfortunately, the voter rebellion against that has sounded in support for a political party that espouses not a worthwhile program of economic freedom but a dangerous racist agenda that plays on hatred and lack of tolerance.
The best hope now for Austria, and indeed other European countries facing resurgent new right parties, is that the Freedom Party in government shows itself up. After a time Austrians and other Europeans will see that simplistic solutions playing on prejudice and division are of little value.