Vienna (PK) – Members of the National Council dealt wiht four extradition requests at their meeting today. The Office of the economic and Corruption Public Prosecutor (WKStA) requested that the parliamentary immunity of FPÖ leader and club chairman Herbert Kickl be lifted. The public prosecutor’s office in Vienna requested that the three liberal MPs Martin Graf, Harald stefan and Norbert Nemeth be prosecuted.
Although the reason for the request regarding Herbert Kickl is allegations that false statements in the U-committee are suspected of “abuse of red-blue power”, including advertisements from the Freedom Party and the advertising agency ” Ideenschmiede”, it is doubtful. the othre three FPÖ politicians Violation of the Nazi prohibition law. The background is his participation in a funeral,at which it is said that a song is also used by the “Schutzstaffel SS” to be sung.
Kickl was extradited for the “persecution justice” of the ruling party FPÖ
For Christoph Zarits (ÖVP), the charge against Kickl is “very serious”.the ÖVP mandate pointed out that there were discrepancies between statements made by the FPÖ club chairman in the U-Committee regarding “SPÖ and FPÖ corruption” and known conversations. Zarits emphasized that Kickl was not interviewed as a respondent for his time as a member of parliament, but for his time as interior minister, “and that is why immunity protection does not apply.”
The mandate of SPÖ Selma Yildirim stressed that the Immunity Committee did not decide “on the question of whether a criminal act was involved,” except whether the public prosecutor would be given the chance to investigate. “Anyone who is a suspect should be happy that there is an investigation going on,” she said with conviction. Non-professional immunity certainly does not enable members of the National Council suspected of criminal offenses to hide behind it, Yildirim said.
Wide majority for the extradition of FPÖ MPs Graf, Nemeth and Stefan
Before today’s meeting of the National Council, the Immunity Committee decided with a majority of all parliamentary groups except the FPÖ that the incident which is the focus of the complaint against three FPÖ MPs has nothing to do with the MPs’ political activities. This means that there is no obstacle to the official prosecution of MPs Martin graf, norbert Nemeth and Harald Stefan, also decided the plenum of the National Council. The charge against the MPs is that they sang a song at a funeral related to the so-called “loyalty oath” of the SS.
ÖVP MP Wolfgang Gerstl criticized the FPÖ’s attempt to delay the prosecution of MP Graf by citing his activities as a member of the Council of Europe. He also thinks it is “strange” that the request for the extradition of MPs was left in the office of the President of the National Council. It is indeed clear that the Rules of Procedure Act was not “implemented by the President of the National Council”.
National Council President rosenkranz warned MP Gerstl for his accusation of “hypocrisy” aimed at the FPÖ. Furthermore, the statement that he had “left documents lying around” does not correspond to the facts, Rosenkranz stressed. This charge will also be the subject of media legal proceedings. He thus hopes that MP Gerstl will apologize after the unjustified accusation has been clarified.
In a report on the rules of procedure, the ÖVP MP Christoph stocker said that the way in which National Council President Rosenkranz asked MP Gerstl to apologize would probably further damage confidence in his management. The chairman of the club of the Green Party Werner kogler appealed to the President of the National Council to respect the free mandate of the MPs, even if he defends himself personally.
sabine Schatz (SPÖ) said that the judges would clarify whether the so-called SS loyalty song was sung at this funeral. It leaves a “mild aftertaste” that these extradition requests were delayed. If the accusation is substantiated, she expects the corresponding consequences. This will be the “acid test of democratic politics for the FPÖ under Herbert Kickl.” SPÖ MP Mario Lindner (SPÖ) also criticized ”the attempts to delay” criminal prosecution and emphasized that there must be appropriate consequences in the event of a final conviction.
Lukas Hammer (Greens) emphasized that the immunity of Deputies can only be raised for good reasons if there is no connection to political activity. Undoubtedly the visit to the funeral in question does not come under political activity. A video also proves that the “original version” of the song was not sung,as claimed. If it really was the “Loyalty Song” of the SS, that would be a violation of the Nazi prohibition law.
Wendelin Mölzer (FPÖ) emphasized that there are different versions of the song “When everyone becomes unfaithful”. Even tho the song was misused by the Nazi regime,it had nothing per se to do with its ideology. In fact, certain versions of the song were even used by the resistance against the Nazi regime. The announcement itself was created in a questionable way and the question is raised whether the main aim of this is to discredit the FPÖ and “put it in a certain corner”. The statement that the song was sung was the version known as the SS loyalty song “really nonsense.” (End of the National Council) map/sox
NOTE: National council and Federal Council meetings can also be followed via live stream and are available as video on demand in Parliament’s media library.
– How might the controversy surrounding Herbert Kickl affect the public’s trust in the justice system in Austria?
Interview between Time.news Editor and Political Expert
Editor: Welcome,and thank you for joining us today. We’re here to discuss a significant growth from the Austrian National Council, where the extradition requests for several members of the freedom Party, FPÖ, have stirred quite a debate. Joining us is Dr. Anna Fischer, a political scientist specializing in Austrian politics. Anna, coudl you start by outlining the key points of this situation?
Dr. Fischer: Certainly! Today, the National Council addressed four extradition requests. The moast notable one involves Herbert Kickl, the leader of the FPÖ. The Office of the economic and Corruption Public Prosecutor, or wksta, is seeking to lift his parliamentary immunity over allegations of making false statements regarding “abuse of red-blue power.” This matter also relates to the campaign activities of the FPÖ and their advertising agency.
Editor: That sounds quite serious.And what about the other three mps—Martin Graf, Harald Stefan, and Norbert Nemeth? What charges are they facing?
Dr.Fischer: Those three are being scrutinized for alleged violations of the Nazi prohibition law, tied to their participation in a funeral where a song associated with the Schutzstaffel, or SS, was reportedly sung. The implications of their actions are significant given Austria’s history and strict laws regarding Nazi-related symbols and actions.
Editor: There seems to be a strong divide among the political factions on this issue. Can you elaborate on the perspectives within the National Council regarding Kickl’s extradition?
Dr. Fischer: Yes, there’s a notable split, particularly among the FPÖ. Christian Ragger, speaking on behalf of the party, argues that this is a manifestation of “persecutory justice” from the ruling parties, indicating a belief that they are unfairly targeted. Conversely, Christoph Zarits from the ÖVP insists that the allegations against Kickl are serious and warrant further investigation, highlighting discrepancies in Kickl’s previous statements.
Editor: Captivating. The concept of “persecutory justice” that Ragger mentioned raises questions about the motivations behind these proceedings. Do you think this could affect the public’s perception of the justice system in Austria?
Dr. Fischer: absolutely. This claim can influence public sentiment,perhaps framing the legal processes as politically motivated rather than just. the FPÖ could rally their base around this narrative, claiming victimization. Meanwhile, for the general public and political opposition, the seriousness of the charges might elicit a demand for accountability, emphasizing that no one is above the law.
Editor: Selma Yildirim from the SPÖ also had a strong stance, mentioning that the Immunity Committee’s role is not to determine guilt but rather to allow investigations to proceed. How does this reflect broader attitudes towards political accountability in Austria?
Dr. Fischer: Yildirim’s comments underlie an critically important principle: that political immunity shouldn’t serve as a shield for legal scrutiny. This reflects a growing expectation for transparency and accountability among politicians. In a democratic society, the legitimacy of political figures is closely tied to their adherence to the law. Her remarks indicate a push for maintaining the integrity of democratic institutions.
Editor: As we look ahead, what do you think this means for the FPÖ and for Austrian politics in general?
Dr. Fischer: the outcome of these proceedings could have significant ramifications for the FPÖ. If Kickl’s immunity is lifted and he faces charges, it could weaken the party’s leadership and influence. Conversely, if they successfully frame this as political persecution, it might galvanize their support. For Austrian politics at large, it presents an possibility to reassess the boundaries of political immunity and accountability. It highlights the ongoing struggle to balance political loyalty and legal responsibility.
Editor: Thank you, Dr. Fischer. It’s a complex and evolving situation that shines a light on important issues of justice, accountability, and the interplay between law and politics. We appreciate your insights.
Dr. Fischer: Thank you for having me.I look forward to seeing how this develops.