On Monday, Constitutional Minister Karoline Edtstadler (ÖVP) spoke out and accused Kickl of “baseness” and “disrespect”. The FPÖ leader had alluded to the Salzburg Festival and the festival speeches in front of his fans and said that he did not want to be part of “these hypocrites, this inbred party”.
“Kickl has once again disqualified himself with his statements,” Edtstadler said in a press release. “He is letting his mask fall; such language is not worthy of a political representative, especially if he is aiming for one of the highest offices in the republic.” The Salzburg Festival is one of the most important cultural events in the world. Herbert Kickl is mocking artists and is becoming more and more radical.
Svazek puts things into perspective
In local media reports, ÖVP state governor Wilfried Haslauer, SPÖ federal party chairman Andreas Babler and Salzburg’s KPÖ deputy mayor Kay-Michael Dankl also criticized the FPÖ leader. Only Salzburg’s FPÖ deputy governor Marlene Svazek put the comment into perspective. “Kickl was certainly addressing the federal government at the festival, not the people of Salzburg, who benefit economically from it and are proud of the festival’s tradition.”
FPÖ General Secretary Christian Hafenecker assured in a press release on Monday that Kickl’s criticism was “not at all directed at the normal festival guests.” “Rather, the Federal President was the target, who in his opening speeches always speaks of building bridges and filling in trenches. The representatives of the unity party then applaud this, but then live the exact opposite in their politics: They divide society, as with Corona.” Kickl addressed this contradiction.
“Right-wing extremist behavior pattern”
Kickl also criticized the Greens. “Attacks on art and culture have always been part of the behavior of right-wing extremist parties,” said culture spokesperson Eva Blimlinger via X. The cultural capital of Bad Ischl had already been the target of liberal attacks, and now it is the Salzburg Festival. “We Greens promote Austrian culture, the FPÖ is denouncing it,” said Blimlinger.
Either way, the FPÖ leader has probably achieved a goal with this statement – and the reactions to it: instead of the approximately 300 listeners in Hallein, significantly more people will now hear about the provocative statement.
