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23. 06. 09. - 16:00

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23. 06. 09. - 16:00

Austria's 'ruling' newspaper claims next victim: the Chancellor

Analysis by Thomas Hochwarter

"A new way of making politics. A brand new start. Together instead of against each other."

Those slogans, announced by Social Democratic (SPÖ) Chancellor Werner Faymann after being sworn in on 2 December of last year, still ring in the ears of Austrians. But now, just 200 days on, it seems Faymann is following his predecessor Alfred Gusenbauer to becoming just a footnote in Austria’s post-war history – after doing what some have dubbed sleeping with the devil.

Faymann decided to play a game which did not appear to be that risky at the start. He managed to win the approval of the country’s biggest newspaper, the conservative tabloid Kronen Zeitung.

The Kronen Zeitung’s longstanding publisher Hans Dichand, 88, made no secret of his affection for the SPÖ’s "new star" – who admitted calling Dichand, with whom he spent holidays in the past, "Uncle Hans" in private. Dichand even had to dismiss rumours he might be Faymann’s biological father – but added he would be proud of a son like Faymann.

The game plan worked well – massive positive coverage ensured the SPÖ came out first, even if there had been bitter losses. The "Krone", as the paper is nicknamed, continued to support the party. But it stopped doing so ahead of the 7 June European Parliament (EP) elections when they backed independent runner Hans-Peter Martin.

The former SPÖ front runner was given one to two pages in the paper for free everyday for a column based on his latest EU-critical policies. The SPÖ’s front runner Hannes Swoboda, allegedly not on good terms with Faymann, was however described as "stiff party robot" by the massively influential paper.

Internal party critics even accused Faymann of making a deal with the EU-critical paper which ensured contamination of the strong support as soon as the EP elections were out the way. Many political analysts thought he had really done so after a reader letter by Faymann and former SPÖ Chancellor Alfred Gusenbauer was one of the main reasons behind the ÖVP’s decision to quit cooperation in June of last year.

In the letter published in – and praised by – the paper, the pair announced a dramatic U-turn in the party’s EU politics to a much more critical approach.

Party veterans were shocked by the populist move since the SPÖ was, in close cooperation with the ÖVP, responsible for convincing sceptic Austrians of the EU’s benefits. In 1994, two thirds voted in favour of Austria joining the EU – and the country became a member on 1 January 1995. At the time the "Krone" was a supporter of the EU bid, but soon realised they would be better off criticising the "waves of immigrants" and the alleged subsequent lack of self-determination as a new EU member.

Faymann’s recent "deal" with the newspaper seemed to be the right move for him at first. But things have changed over the past five months. The SPÖ has suffered losses in every election – provincial elections, students union, labour chamber – they have run in since the general election of September 2008.

Now the clouds above Faymann are gathering after "Krone" boss Dichand sensationally announced in an interview as a supplement in his own newspaper his open support for ÖVP Vice Chancellor Josef Pröll to become a future chancellor and backed his uncle and ÖVP Lower Austria boss Erwin Pröll to run for president next year.

Faymann critics say this U-turn has confirmed their fears, while Faymann has only commented on the new development by saying: "You will never catch me saying a bad word about the Kronen Zeitung or Hans Dichand."

Now Faymann, once hailed as the party’s key figure in their bid to "make politics in a new way", suddenly looks broken and unconvincing.

Austria is not governed by a newspaper, as some international observers claim. But if the most influential daily in a country makes use of its power in such a ruthless – and clever – way as the "Krone" does, hardly anyone can argue its effects on the political landscape are non-existent. And even if the paper were more moderate, with almost three million readers a day, there is no doubt about its overwhelming influence.

Austrian Times

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