Kickl and Weidel: “FPÖ and AfD are the true protectors of the constitution”

2023-09-19 11:05:00

The two criticized the fact that the right-wing populist alternative for Germany was observed by the Office for the Protection of the Constitution as anti-democratic. The AfD wants to “seek solidarity with the FPÖ”. Weidel announced that they want to meet with the heads of other European parties in November. The Office for the Protection of the Constitution is only concerned with eliminating opposition parties and counteracting the government parties’ loss of power. In the joint press conference, Weidel and Kickl criticized the current governments in Austria and Germany on many other issues. They spoke of “eco-communism” (Kickl) and “eco-socialism” (Weidel) in view of the climate policy in Austria and Germany as well as the current German heating law. Weidel also sharply criticized the decisions on gender identity and the legalization of cannabis. Weidel complained that nothing had happened in asylum policy for eight years and saw a “conscious waiver of control” by the German traffic light coalition on the migration issue.

“Salvini has a great understanding of security interests”

When asked about Italian Transport Minister Matteo Salvini’s criticism of possible Austrian border controls, Kickl explained that he knew Salvini as someone who had a “great understanding of the security interests” of other countries. He suspected that Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP) had not contacted Italy on this issue. Salvini’s Lega, like the AfD and the FPÖ, is part of the EU ID (Identity and Democracy) group in the European Parliament.

Schengen system “doesn’t work”

Weidel stated that the protection of the external borders had “completely failed” and that the border-free Schengen system was not working. The traffic light coalition in Germany is continuing the policies of former Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU), in her eyes the “first green chancellor” in Germany. Weidel spoke of “Merkel’s we-can-do-it-welcome-putsch.”

The governments of both countries tried to “make people feel guilty about how they think, feel, how they heat, what they eat,” the FPÖ leader explained. This is the reason why “confidence in this policy has been lost”. There will be “another schnitzel” for Weidel in Vienna, Kickl explained when asked. And he said he was “glad that we can still eat it” without slipping into illegality. Weidel recently declared in a speech that he didn’t want to let the schnitzel be taken away from him.