The meeting took place in the reception room of the Parliament. In the afternoon, the Hungarian Prime Minister will take part in a panel discussion with the Swiss weekly newspaper “Weltwoche”.
Orbán is the first international guest of the newly crowned National Council President Rosenkranz. The FPÖ and Orbán’s Fidesz both belong to the new far-right European faction “Patriots for Europe”.
Surprisingly, Kickl was also present at the meeting with Rosenkranz. He was accompanied by FPÖ General Secretary Christian Hafenecker – chairman of the parliamentary friendship group with Hungary -, EU delegation leader Harald Vilimsky and FPÖ foreign policy spokeswoman Susanne Fürst. According to information from the run-up to the meeting, Orbán was not scheduled to visit Chancellor Karl Nehammer (ÖVP).
Broad criticism
The meeting, which, according to Rosenkranz, had already been arranged before he took office, caused widespread criticism in Austrian politics. “It’s about symbol and signal, and this signal is fatal,” said Green Party leader Werner Kogler at a press conference on Thursday. The managing club leader of the Green Party, Sigrid Maurer, warned about Rosenkranz’s previous administration: “These alarm bells are ringing loudly.” The fact that the European flag was removed at the meeting in the reception room and only the Austrian and Hungarian flags were displayed was another fatal signal. Rosenkranz has been “in office for less than a week and he is already abusing his position as President of the National Council for a party event for his FPÖ,” Maurer tweeted after the conversation.
The SPÖ also criticized the visit sharply. Rosenkranz would “certainly not do justice” to his role as President of the National Council if he received a man who has converted his country into a “corrupt elite rule,” emphasized party chairman and club chairman Andreas Babler in a broadcast. “Those who use Orbán as a role model are damaging the country and the people,” said the SPÖ leader. “No democratic state can be created” with the FPÖ.
Critical letter from Meinl-Reisinger
After a critical letter from NEOS boss Beate Meinl-Reisinger to Rosenkranz, the Liberals followed up again on Thursday. “Mr. Orbán’s anti-European stance must not be a role model for a President of the House,” said club deputy chairman Niki Scherak in a broadcast. “He regularly tramples on the values of liberal democracy, massively restricts opposition rights and minority rights, suppresses media freedom and deprives the people of Hungary of the freedom to decide for themselves how they want to live.”
More on the topic
Meinl-Reisinger appeals to Rosenkranz about Orban’s visit
On the sidelines of Orbán’s visit, the Socialist Youth (SJ) and SoHo, the SPÖ’s queer organization, demonstrated in front of parliament. “With Orbán, Rosenkranz is welcoming someone who tramples on democracy and, above all, dismantles parliamentarism,” emphasized SJ leader Paul Stich to the APA. “Receiving him here as parliamentary speaker, in parliament, is a conscious signal that extends to right-wing extremist circles,” said the SPÖ MP. As Orbán drove in, the SJ demonstrators loudly chanted slogans.
“Make a mark”
SoHo Federal Secretary Sebastian Pay told the APA that they wanted to “set a signal” so that “Orbán has to drive past rainbow flags.” Several measures taken by the Orbán government in recent years have been internationally criticized as restricting the rights of the LGBTQ community.
Orbán made fun of the demonstrators in a short Reels video on Facebook. This first shows chanting rally participants, then comes the insert “5 minutes later”, and finally the video shows the same spot in front of parliament without any demonstrators, accompanied by cheerful music. The title of the video in Hungarian is “That happened quickly…”
Actually a private visit
Orbán’s visit to Vienna is actually a private visit: As part of the “Weltwoche” panel discussion, he speaks with former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder on the topic of “Peace in Europe” in the Sofiensälen in Vienna-Landstrasse. The fully booked event will be moderated by “Weltwoche” editor Roger Köppel.
Köppel only accompanied Orbán on his controversial visit to Russian President Vladimir Putin in June. The Hungarian head of government, who currently also holds the EU Council Presidency, largely supports the EU sanctions against Russia because of its war against Ukraine, but still maintains good political and economic relations with Moscow. Germany’s former Chancellor Schröder has maintained a personal friendship with Putin for many years. He had described Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as a “serious mistake” and a private mediation mission in March 2022 failed.
ePaper
The recent visit of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán to Vienna has sparked significant controversy, particularly surrounding the actions of the newly appointed President of the National Council, Walter Rosenkranz, a member of the Freedom Party (FPÖ). Critics from various political factions have expressed their discontent with Rosenkranz’s decision to host Orbán, seeing it as an endorsement of understated authoritarianism and corruption, which they associate with Orbán’s governance in Hungary.
Socialist Party (SPÖ) leader Andreas Babler condemned the visit, asserting that receiving Orbán, who has been criticized for transforming Hungary into “a corrupt elite rule,” undermines the integrity of the National Council’s presidency. He stated that those who look to Orbán as a model are damaging the country and its democratic foundations.
Additionally, NEOS leader Beate Meinl-Reisinger sent a critical letter to Rosenkranz, emphasizing that Orbán’s anti-European sentiments should not be a guiding example for the leader of the House. She highlighted Orbán’s systematic attacks on democratic values and freedoms, including media and opposition rights in Hungary.
Demonstrators from the Socialist Youth (SJ) and the SPÖ’s queer organization, SoHo, gathered outside the parliament to protest the visit, asserting that Rosenkranz’s welcome of Orbán sends a concerning message to right-wing extremist factions. SoHo’s Federal Secretary, Sebastian Pay, stated their intent to ensure that Orbán greeted with rainbow flags, as the Hungarian government’s record on LGBTQ rights has been the subject of international rebuke.
Orbán’s visit is described as private, coinciding with his participation in a panel discussion at the “Weltwoche” in Vienna, where he will discuss “Peace in Europe” alongside former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder. Despite maintaining support for EU sanctions against Russia due to its war against Ukraine, Orbán’s close ties with Russia continue to draw scrutiny.
Rosenkranz’s actions and Orbán’s presence in Austria prompt broader discussions about the ideological direction of the FPÖ and its connections with populist and right-wing leaders in Europe.