The Greens are in serious personnel problems. The federal congress, scheduled for 16 December, had to be postponed until February because the EU election list was not yet available. Climate Minister Leonor Gavesler (Greens) backed out at the last minute and did not want to go to Brussels. Since then, the Greens have been unable to find a new front lady to send into the race.
Party insiders reported that Gavesler’s cancellation was “completely surprising”. “It’s a disaster,” he told the Courier. It is still not entirely clear who will be number one for the Greens. The Greens – not for the first time – may knock on the doors of non-governmental organizations (NGOs). The name of Lena Schilling, a politically completely inexperienced climate activist, was mentioned. Unless Justice Minister Alma Zadik moves to the EU Parliament, NGOs will be the obvious pool in which the Greens can fish for new top candidates.
On the evening of the 2019 election, after the Greens returned to the National Council, Green Party leader Werner Kögler was the first to thank NGOs. Although no one in Austria has chosen one of the well-known environmental and climate NGOs, today’s Greens base their politics entirely on them. It is no surprise that they are also increasingly finding their political workers here. The best example of this is Gavesler himself.
The current climate minister was still an activist in the Global 2000 in 2019. Kogler was able to convince him to run for office – and he immediately found himself at the head of a veritable “super ministry”, where he has since been responsible for many important functions. Green issues such as environment, transportation and energy.
Since then, many other NGOs have been able to benefit from this ministry, as evidenced by the many expensive contracts awarded to them. Taxpayers had no reason to be happy. Not only does Gavesler like to spend money like there’s no tomorrow, but once again green politics often turns out to be a messy policy.
This year, Gavesler’s climate bonus is once again in complete disarray. Now thousands of complaints are accumulating from Austrians who are waiting for the payment that was actually announced for October. Crisis management also failed completely: “There are many people who could not get past the ministry’s telephone queue or callback ticket,” reported Walter Rosenkranz, the ombudsman at ZB. “Furthermore, many people wonder why they have received vouchers even though their account details are known to financial authorities.”
Refugees were once again able to count themselves lucky: For the 63,000 non-Austrians who received basic care for more than 183 days, they received 110 euros – possibly even 220 euros – eXXpress reported. The fact is: at least 6.93 million euros of tax money came to them.
Gavesler’s goal of “getting off Putin’s gas” also came to nothing. Currently 80 percent of imported gas comes from Russia. a record! It was a flop – luckily! – Gaevsler’s turn-despite-red rule. If the Transport Minister has his way, cyclists could turn right at any time – not as voters, but as road users, especially when the light is red. But drivers can breathe a sigh of relief: most cyclists hardly use this opportunity, as has now become clear.
Gavesler’s next tax money madness was the 42 Climate Stamp tattoo, worth 69,000 euros. Young people should get a climate ticket tattoo on the frequency for 1,095 euros. In the end, 42 actually got tattoos (at the taxpayer’s expense).
The expensive climate bonus website, which costs an incredible 24,000 euros a month, received harsh criticism from the Court of Auditors. eXXpress reported. The Court of Auditors criticized the criticism as “not laudable.”
The breakdown and crisis of Green politics are domestic. Given the personnel problems, green politics is likely to remain NGO politics.
