Trump will Kickl

A German politician has spoken of the next turning point: The first occurred with the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine. Vladimir Putin has shown that he is willing to take what he wants by any means. Tomorrow, perhaps another country. It is a threat to Europe.

The second turning point is now that, following Russia, the USA under the leadership of Donald Trump is also turning against Europe. They want to weaken or even dismantle the EU. To this end, they also rely on "patriotic" forces like the FPÖ.

Herbert Kickl's party is indeed offering itself for this: It has a good chance of coming into government sooner or later and providing the chancellor. In the spring, it was close. The result is known. According to surveys, however, it could come back at any time.

That is one thing. The other: In terms of content, Kickl largely agrees with Trump. Whether it is about combating migration movements or denying climate change. Or the war in Ukraine: For both, the problem is not that Putin is the aggressor and has even recently threatened to attack Europe. For both, the problem is that Ukraine is defending itself and is being supported by many countries.

Furthermore, Trump is against the EU. And in this, Kickl is a potential accomplice for him: Should he one day actually become chancellor, he plays a decisive role in Brussels. He can be destructive side by side with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and block so much that it paralyzes the EU.

It is remarkable that Kickl has no problem being Trump's man just as much as Putin's. This contradicts what a majority of Austrians want. It is clear: Many are EU-critical, but well over 50 percent are in favor of remaining a member and even strengthening cooperation at the European level.

Well over 50 percent, by the way, have nothing to do with Trump and Putin and what they stand for. Above all, democracy is important to them and the right to have a different opinion and express it freely, without, for example, being labeled a "traitor to the people" by a self-proclaimed "people's chancellor."

For them, it is also clear that Russia is the aggressor in the war in Ukraine and that Ukraine should be supported. In this respect, all of this is not without danger for Kickl: He is on the wrong side.

This can no longer be right for him: He is acting here with the most powerful in the world against what he otherwise likes to call the "will of the people" – it is likely to harm him in elections.

Johannes Huber runs the blog dieSubstanz.at – Analyses and backgrounds on politics

This article has been automatically translated, read the original article here.