Helmut Melzer
It is not that milk and honey flow in Austria or that money grows on trees, but one thing is for sure: our small Alpine republic enjoys a prosperity that is unparalleled globally. And despite the ongoing economic crisis, we share with those who are not feeling well. There is still a pension, social assistance, emergency assistance, family and housing subsidies - Overall, according to Statistics Austria, social spending was 2015 99 billion or 30,1 percent of GDP. No question, not everything is rosy, even in Austria people live in poverty. But nobody has to sleep on the street. Nobody has to starve. Nobody may be expelled in an emergency of a hospital.
And then you hear that: "The social and health system is broken. With Austria we go downhill. It has never been so bad. "- The indicator of this disproportionate dissatisfaction is the voting behavior of Mr. and Mrs. Austrian.
A consequence of expensive political scandals of recent decades, political stagnation, day-political reaction instead of forward-looking design.
As far as I can follow, I also suffer on election day under weak decision. But my understanding fails because of ingratitude and exaggerated fear. How can it be that a considerable part of the profiteers of our welfare state are also among the electorate of populist negativity against tolerance and social justice? How can the fear of a worse future carry the protest so far to the right and thus jeopardize the partly blood-fought political achievements of previous generations?
Yes, I too lack democratic leverage. I'm counting on assertive civil society, which has even shaken the free trade agreements TTIP & Co. If you steer too hard to the right or left, you drive in circles.
Photo / Video: Option.
