Federal spokesman Werner Kogler presented the 23-year-old on Monday as his suggestion for first place on the list. The Viennese is likely to be the only female top candidate from a promising party in the election in Austria.
Schilling became known through the Fridays for Future movement and as part of the occupation of the construction site for the Lobau Tunnel. In the past few months, the party political newcomer has worked as a columnist for the “Kronen Zeitung”, but she now wants to end this.
As federal spokesman Werner Kogler emphasized during the presentation, Schilling enjoys the full support of the federal executive board and all state leaders of his party. She is one of the most important voices for climate protection and youth.
Schilling wants to remain an activist
Schilling thanked Kogler for the “kind words” and the great trust, expressed a “warm hello” and admitted her excitement: “Standing here today makes my heart pump quite a bit, to be honest.” For five years she was wholeheartedly active as a climate activist, and now she is taking on a new, big challenge: “I am very pleased to be running as the Green top candidate.”
But she wants to remain an activist: “I won’t be a prim politician tomorrow either.” It’s not just about the climate, “my candidacy is also a declaration of war against the right.” She stands for a climate-friendly Europe in which women and men earn equally and where there is no place for hatred and agitation.
She did not see the fact that she had often harshly criticized the Greens in the past as an obstacle to her running. Rather, it is a good sign that exactly that is possible. And: “Which party stands more for climate protection?” According to Schilling, Schilling is not bothered by the fact that the Greens initially wanted to send ministers Leonore Gewessler or Alma Zadić into the race (which Kogler dismissed as a “rumor”). “I’m not that vain,” she said. It was an extreme honor to be asked at the age of 23.
TV analysis with OÖN political editor Markus Staudinger:
Compensate for a lack of expertise through teamwork
Schilling wants to compensate for any lack of expertise in foreign policy issues, for example, through teamwork in the green EU parliamentary group and by involving experts. She had praise for EU mandate Thomas Waitz, who wants to apply for second place on the list. She left her future position in the EU delegation open. She doesn’t want to become a Green Party member.
Kogler had previously praised Schilling highly. He got to know her as a very committed and exciting person and political figure. “Here is a young woman who believes in a future that she is worth fighting for,” he said. He was extremely pleased that she had been won over to run for the Green Party: “Thank you, Lena, for doing this and for putting yourself at the forefront of this.”
“A clear signal against the Orbans, against the Le Pens, against the Kickls”
The EU Parliament is one of the central places to shape the world and improve it. A young, courageous candidate is also a “clear signal against the Orbans, against the Le Pens, against the Kickls, against the entire Putin network,” said the Green Party federal spokesman.
The Greens remained vague about their election goals. The conditions were certainly different in the 2019 EU elections, but Kogler said they wanted to defend the Greens’ three Austrian EU mandates.
