While the SPÖ would find the diplomatic role to be good, the ÖVP side hoped for “rough edges”. “Nothing new” in European politics can be seen on the horizon with the NEOS, while for the FPÖ the “EU centralist” par excellence “returns” to Brussels:
“Diplomats instead of blockers”
According to Andreas Schieder, head of the SPÖ delegation in the European Parliament, Austria under ex-Chancellor Sebastian Kurz has begun to move away from its traditional role as a blocker: “If Schallenberg can now take on the role of diplomat, that would be good.” As for the further developments in the ÖVP, he is “not an ÖVP-ologist”, but from his point of view more revelations are to be expected, and he is assuming an “implosion” in the party.
Angelika Winzig, head of the ÖVP delegation in the EU Parliament, however, emphasized that Kurz had shown “rough edges” when dealing with the delivery problems for the vaccine from Astrazeneca. She hoped that this policy will be maintained by the new Chancellor Schallenberg, although of course no identical continuation can be expected.
“Turquoise convincing man”
NEOS EU MP Claudia Gamon, on the other hand, does not expect anything new from “Mr Schallenberg, who described himself as a ‘turkish believer'” in European politics. The ÖVP had long since abandoned the constructive, pro-European path. The turquoise ÖVP invented its own brand of anti-European populism under the system “Kurz”, there are a few parallels with neighboring states such as Hungary, but not in all aspects. The Austrian “EU skepticism” was always only a calculation, so Gamon, referring to the attitude towards the EU reconstruction fund and the turn to the “frugals”.
The assessment of the FPÖ is diametrical. The change of Chancellor to Schallenberg brings with it an “EU centralist”: If someone says “I’m coming home”, according to FPÖ delegation leader Harald Vilimsky, then you don’t need an analysis, this would be a “slap in the face” for every Austrian. Schallenberg is said to have described his visit to Brussels as “coming home” to EU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen. Schallenberg is a representative of “Scenario 5” of the EU, the “total communitarisation”, and for the FPÖ, as a supporter of “renationalization”, thus a “gauntlet”. The “dual strategy of the ÖVP” has now been changed to a singular one – that is to be granted to her, but Vilimsky has to point out where the journey is going now.
