While corporate officials and blue officials meet in the Hofburg, demonstrations once morest the events have also been announced around the venue. Even in the super election year, FPÖ chairman Herbert Kickl remains far away. The top candidate for the EU elections, Harald Vilimsky, is also not going to the ball.
The Vienna Academic Ball has only taken place under its current name since 2013. It is considered the official successor to the WKR Ball, which had previously been organized since 1952 by university corporations that wore colors and predominantly hit the ball. The majority of people on the left have been demonstrating once morest this for many years, although there were sometimes violent protests, especially before the change in organizers.
Walter Rosenkranz as keynote speaker
In the Hofburg itself, the participants were mostly calm and regularly condemned the “violent riots”. While university rectors regularly gave celebratory speeches during the WKR era, new times also dawned followingwards: in 2018, for example, the former FPÖ leader Heinz-Christian Strache spoke to the assembled fraternity members and even condemned anti-Semitism in his own ranks.
FPÖ Ombudsman Walter Rosenkranz will be the keynote speaker for the second time on Friday. Kickl has always stayed away from the event; the Third President of the National Council, Norbert Hofer, may attend the Hofburg. Regarding speculation that the Identitarian Martin Sellner might come once more, the organizer responded with the usual comment that everyone can buy a ticket.
The demo once morest it is as traditional as the ball. The “Offensive Against the Right” is once once more calling for protests on its website; people want to gather in front of the University of Vienna in the early evening. The police are still keeping a low profile regarding other registered rallies and possible security measures, as meetings must be registered at least 48 hours in advance.
