Sebastian Kurz failed as Chancellor not only because of the investigations by the public prosecutor’s office, but also because of substantive weaknesses.
(Photo: Bloomberg)
Sebastian Kurz was the undisputed star of Austrian politics. He led the ÖVP to two brilliant election victories and liberated the country from the grand coalition. He succeeded in doing this by forming an ideologically highly flexible coalition first with the right-wing populist FPÖ and then with its opposite pole, the Greens. Especially in Germany it was said again and again: We need one like that too.
But Kurz failed. There has been a shadow over his steep ascent since it became known how cynical he and those around him were. The flood of chats that the public prosecutor is currently evaluating reveals alleged criminal behavior through the use of taxpayers’ money for manipulated surveys and the purchase of cheering reports in a tabloid.
The chats also paint a repugnant moral picture of a clique that, with its unconditional will to power, even waged a campaign against its own party.
Kurz’s legacy also remains disappointing in terms of content. As Chancellor, he erred in believing that he could tame the FPÖ. The coalition only lasted a year and a half. Many of their reforms were piecemeal or legislatively inadequate, so the Constitutional Court overturned them.
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The second attempt, with the Greens, was all about fighting the coronavirus, which demonstrated another weakness of the Chancellor. Always concerned about public opinion, he declared the pandemic over several times while leaving the announcement of lockdowns or other restrictions to others. This often resulted in a contradicting picture.
Kurz will continue to lead the party in the future
It has been exactly a week since this government was able to present its largest project, an eco-social tax reform. The agreement to tax CO2 is unquestionably a success for the Greens. In order to save him, the party probably moved not to terminate the coalition and only to demand Kurz’s withdrawal. With his departure, the Chancellor saved the country the third parliamentary elections in just four years.
That is positive, but it remains to be seen how the coalition, which is already characterized by differences in content, can function after this turbulence. Kurz will continue to lead the party and parliamentary group of the ÖVP, and the future Chancellor Alexander Schallenberg is a close confidante. So, for the time being, the conservatives’ puller will remain.
Nevertheless, a return to the government or even to its top, which he and his loyal supporters have promised, seems unrealistic. Should charges be brought, it will take years for the allegations against him to be resolved. Kurz will not return to the Federal Chancellery.
More: Rise and fall of Austria’s most charismatic politician: Sebastian Kurz fails because of his contradictions