The election 12 months 2024 poses particular challenges for state protectors. This emerges from the Inside Ministry’s constitutional safety report, which was revealed on Saturday. Accordingly, right-wing extremism specifically is acknowledged as a hazard: The “New Proper” is more and more striving to combine with celebration politics, which “ends in an elevated potential for hazard to the democratic constitutional state this 12 months,” in accordance with the report.
“Different media” is gaining in significance
Which events are meant just isn’t explicitly acknowledged within the report. Nevertheless, it’s emphasised that the significance of the digital area and “various media” will improve, since in each areas the “New Proper” such because the “Identitarians” intentionally and actively unfold (dis)info and thus affect the formation of political beliefs change into. The station “AUF1” and the platform “Information-Direkt” are talked about as “various media”.
On this context, the 12 months 2024 will probably be a safety coverage problem with the upcoming Nationwide Council and state elections, particularly as a result of the “New Proper” sees itself as “one of many sponsors of Russian disinformation campaigns in Austria, as a political advance group.” It’s subsequently to be anticipated that Russian narratives about this may more and more be launched into the political discourse.
Along with the “New Proper,” the “Outdated Proper” additionally stays lively. The primary “Gerd Honsik Europe Congress” befell in Vienna final 12 months. The Austrian right-wing extremist and Holocaust denier Honsik, who died in 2018 and was convicted a number of instances, continues to be thought-about a central determine throughout the right-wing extremist scene. In keeping with the report, the martial arts scene has now change into crucial in networking the related teams.
Improve in crimes by 30 p.c
In keeping with the report, in 2023 the safety authorities in Austria turned conscious of a complete of 1,208 (2022: 928) right-wing extremist, xenophobic/racist, Islamophobic, anti-Semitic, unspecific or different acts. In comparison with 2022, this represents a rise of 30.2 p.c.
These numbers are far greater than these within the left-wing extremist space. 97 crimes had been recorded right here. Nevertheless, the Workplace for the Safety of the Structure warns right here too. The strengthening of the intense proper might “lead to an intensification of the battle towards the political opponent in all attainable types and represents a sensible situation,” write the authors. There are makes an attempt at recruitment from left-wing extremist sides within the local weather motion, however this shouldn’t be seen as left-wing extremist and it poses “no critical hazard”.
Radicalized people as a hazard
The state of affairs is totally different with Islamists: “As in earlier years, the best potential threat for terrorist assaults in Austria is represented by radicalized male people and small, autonomously appearing teams,” says the report. It needs to be famous {that a} mid-double-digit variety of so-called “overseas fighters” had been launched from jail in 2023. Extra would observe within the coming years.
The excessive standing of the “Islamic State” among the many younger technology relies totally on the amount and high quality of the propaganda content material out there on-line, which has a robust attraction to youngsters and younger adults. The report notes a pattern that components of this technology sympathized with the Islamist-extremist spectrum not due to a selected ideological conviction, however due to their affinity for violent depictions.
Video: Proper and left-wing extremism is a significant problem for state safety
