Thousands Protest in Vienna Following FPÖ Election Victory

Thousands Protest in Vienna Following FPÖ Election Victory

APA/ROLAND SCHLAGER

 

Around 25,000 people marched through central Vienna on Thursday evening in protest against the far-right Freedom Party (FPÖ), which won Austria’s parliamentary elections last weekend.

The march wound through Herrengasse in the first district, culminating in a rally outside the parliament building on Ringstrasse.

Among the participants were members of the Grannies Against the Right movement, as well as activists from the LINKS party and the Socialist Youth, carrying banners with the slogan “Protect democracy.”

The stated aim of the protest was to send a clear message before coalition negotiations, urging against FPÖ involvement in government.

Aside from a few protesters setting off pyrotechnics, the demonstration remained peaceful.

“It’s a very important evening,” said Natalie Assmann, spokesperson for wiederdonnerstag, the organisation behind the protest. “It gives those who didn’t vote for the FPÖ a chance to be heard during the coalition negotiations.” Further demonstrations are not planned yet, as the group waits to see how talks progress.

The first Thursday demonstrations were held nearly 25 years ago. After the inauguration of Austria’s first coalition involving the FPÖ in February 2000, over 150,000 people gathered at Vienna’s Heldenplatz to protest. Weekly rallies continued for two years.

The protests were revived in October 2018 under the slogan “It’s Thursday again”, in opposition to the government of Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, whose coalition included the FPÖ. These demonstrations ended in May 2019 when a corruption scandal brought down the coalition.

Don’t have an account yet? 

Latest News

Reach out for a handcrafted promotion of your business or product.