02. 09. 10. - 12:00

Integration issues to dominate, says Ude

Christian Ude, the Social Democratic (SPD) mayor of the German city of Munich, has singled out integration as the topic set to dominate political debate in cities like Vienna.

Ude said today (Thurs): "The subject of integration is becoming more important. But it seems to me Munich is handling it a bit better than Vienna."

Speaking to Austrian newspaper Kurier, Ude praised the Vienna Social Democrats (SPÖ) for disassociating themselves from xenophobic tendencies in previous election campaigns. The mayor of Munich however also stressed that some politicians had seemed to be "helpless" in TV debates with late right-winger Jörg Haider.

Asked whether he would recommend the Vienna SPÖ to approach the Greens or the conservative People’s Party (ÖVP) for coalition talks if it loses its absolute majority in the 10 October election, Ude said: "I hope the Vienna SPÖ manages to retain its majority. Vienna always did best with that constellation."

Recent polls have shown that the right-wing Freedom Party (FPÖ) has the potential to garner up to 22 per cent of the overall vote in the Vienna ballot. The party headed by Heinz-Christian Strache in Vienna and on the federal level came in third by bagging 14.8 per cent in 2005.

Analysts are at odds whether the SPÖ will hold its majority in seats won thanks to 49.1 per cent of the overall vote. SPÖ Mayor Michael Häupl reportedly prioritises coalition talks with the ÖVP – who won 18.8 per cent five years ago – over meeting with the Greens, who bagged 14.6 per cent.

Rumour has it that Häupl may retire halfway through the upcoming term. He became mayor of the capital in 1994. SPÖ Vice Mayor Michael Ludwig and SPÖ city councillor Christian Oxonitsch are seen as potential successors.

The election campaign has been dominated by debate about the FPÖ’s controversial slogan calling for "more courage for our Viennese blood". The party has also claimed it has been protecting "free women" while the SPÖ – branded an "Islamist party" by Strache – would back Muslim men who want to force their wives to wear headscarves and burkas.

Häupl ruled out any kind of cooperation with the FPÖ. "I won’t discuss topics of the future with Strache because he has nothing to contribute," he stressed.

The mayor – who has, according to some political columnists, more influence within his party than SPÖ Chancellor Werner Faymann – has angered FPÖ supporters by branding Strache a "loser" and a "stupid person".

Some SPÖ officials were not delighted to hear about those remarks, fearing insulting statements would only boost the FPÖ’s campaign.

Strache hit back by accusing Häupl’s SPÖ of acting arrogantly and not considering people’s wishes and worries.

The FPÖ has focused on integration issues and "criminal foreigners". Some analysts have claimed the opposition party might be unable to improve substantially due to its failure to include ideas about other important topics in its campaign portfolio.