Around 150 functionaries and supporters have gathered in a narrow alley in downtown Linz to motivate themselves for the last few meters before the election. With club chairwoman Sigrid Maurer and member of the National Council David Stgmller, there was also prominent support from federal politics.
The top candidate, Provincial Councilor Stefan Kaineder, spoke of a “historic mission” that had to be fulfilled. Our affluent society must become climate neutral: “We do that for our children and grandchildren.” “We still have three days and if the feet are already tired, remember that it is only three days left,” he cheered on the officials who flocked to the city after the short speech to collect votes.
If the order is big enough, the Greens will join the government and make Upper Austria climate-neutral, promised Kaineder. “The people are ready, the companies are ready and we Greens are definitely ready.”
It was a hot summer. In Canada it was almost 50 degrees, in Scandinavia well over 30, and the whole of southern Europe was on fire. The flood disaster in Germany not only cost many people their lives, it caused damage of 30 billion euros within three hours, recalled Kaineder.
When he talks to people, they tell him: “Yes, the climate crisis is here. We mustn’t waste any time. The people understand that.” People would have understood that they had to do something themselves and that politics had to create the framework for it. “And they know where to get the Kreuzerl for it.”
The city councilor for the environment and mayor candidate Eva Schobesberger also emphasized that “it is about nothing less than the future”. The current city policy in Linz is making bike paths narrower and cutting trees. This policy should go away, “that’s what we’ll fight for, that’s what we’ll run for the next three days until we just can’t anymore.”
The two young top candidates Julia Reiter (as Kirchschlager mayor) and Anne-Sophie Bauer (for the state parliament) affirmed the goal of wanting to become the strongest party among the first voters.
The end of the election campaign was more than decent. The event only lasted half an hour, there was only organic lemonade to be consumed, the organic beer was hardly touched. The followers were provided with green cardboard boxes on which climate protection was propagated. These were used to knock, which made the applause louder.
