Against the backdrop of the conflict in Ukraine, there is an active process of ‘Orbanization’ in Austria, according to Der Standard

Western democracies are experiencing an economic and political downturn.

This information reported by Der Standard.

Against the backdrop of the conflict in Ukraine, right-wing parties are gaining ground, including in Austria. The leader of the Austrian Freedom Party aims to become chancellor and has taken Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban as an example. Even more concerning for the article’s author, Hans Rausher, is that 40% of Austrians demand a change in the existing political system.

The future of Western democracies appears bleak, Der Standard states. There is an economic and political decline, including in Austria. Many are slowly beginning to realize that armed conflicts have reached Europe, threatening not only prosperity but also the way of life of EU citizens, notes Hans Rausher.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has expressed a desire to create a new anti-Western world. Right-wing parties such as Germany’s Alternative for Germany and Austria’s Freedom Party approve of this plan. The largest Western democracy, the United States, still stands, but even there, cracks are emerging.

Austria, however, finds itself in the middle and is uncertain about what to do. Liberal political coalitions are constantly losing ground, while the Austrian Freedom Party, led by Herbert Kickl, is stronger than ever. Kickl aspires to be chancellor and, judging by his words, intends to establish a “right-wing, pseudo-democratic regime somewhat in the mold of historical, partly modern Hungary (Orban).”

The sentiments among Austrians are even more worrisome, the publication continues. 40% of them advocate for a change in the existing political system. There are forces in the country that could resist the “Orbanization” of Austria, but they are too fragmented and unsure how to mobilize civil society. The federal president cannot counter Kickl and his chancellor ambitions because the Austrian Freedom Party has gained a parliamentary majority.

The country is at risk of a state crisis, Rausher warns. Media reforms pose a threat that the last critical voices may fall silent, particularly concerning television channels and the press. Politicians and the media also need to engage in a dialogue with a dissatisfied segment of society that feels deceived and demands change, the author of the article concludes.