Tu felix Austria…

Tu felix Austria, elige sapientes!

To variegate the famous quote “Bella gerant alii, tu felix Austria nube.”, meaning “Let others wage war, you happy Austria, marry.” (The Habsburg dynasty had a habit of marrying their offspring wisely and with foresight, thus building their powers up all over Europe without having to fight too much.)

What a political nightmare it is, back home in Austria. This coming Sunday the run-off poll for presidency is on. The outcome of the general election for a new President a few weeks back was quite a surprise. The right wing candidate, Norbert Hofer, had such a good result, that a run-off poll is neccessary now, to decide between him and the other popular candidate, an independent guy, formerly with the Green Party in Austria, Alexander van der Bellen. He is a University Professor, whose policies I liked a lot, when he was heading the Green Party in the beginning of the Nineties.

Please, fellow Austrians, spare me the shame of voting for the wrong guy. I would hate having to explain, why Austria jumped to the political Right in such a manner. What right would I have left, to criticise the Donald, for instance? Or the Hungarians? Or the Polish government? To name just a few.

In the German news yesterday, the matter was discussed in way, as if the results of the upcoming election were already clear. Everybody seems to know, that Hofer is going to be the next President in Austria. I still hope, he won’t be.