Turkish group worried ahead of Austrian vote

VIENNA

A Turkish NGO in Europe has warned of “anti-Turkish, anti-Islamic rhetoric” ahead of Austria’s presidential election on Dec. 4.

The head of the Union of European Turkish Democrats in Austria, Cem Aslan, told Anadolu Agency on Thursday that Austria’s center-left Social Democrats and even the Greens had shifted to more racist discourses to get more votes in Sunday’s poll.

“Anti-Turkish, anti-Islamic rhetoric and actions have increased so much that our people are seriously worried… This increased our people's fear and uneasiness,” Aslan said.

Far-right Freedom Party candidate Norbert Hofer and former Green Party leader Alexander Van der Bellen will run on Dec. 4, after Austria’s Constitutional Court annulled the results of May’s presidential vote and called for a rerun.

Although the presidency is a largely symbolic role in Austria, the Freedom Party's potential success is seen as an indicator of anti-migrant sentiment and disillusionment with mainstream politics.

Hofer, who advocates a ban on religious coverings in public spaces, is also known for his remarks on immigration and Turkey.

He has said if Turkey joined the EU then he would -- if president -- support an Austrian exit from the bloc.

According to the Gallup, a research and consulting service provider in Austria, latest opinion polls are suggesting Hofer could take 52 percent and Van der Bellen 48 percent.

Populism

A former Austrian diplomat, Wolfgang Petritsch, told Anadolu Agency the country’s mainstream parties had fed on speeches from the populist right-wing in recent years.

Petritsch, a former EU Special Envoy for Kosovo, claimed left-wing parties preferred to ignore simple social problems, resulting in increasing voter support for the right.

“The right-wing parties took advantage of the current atmosphere and the traditional central parties lost their credibility. I think they are just losing … trying to imitate extreme right-wingers. They are always copies, they cannot be the original,” Petritsch added.

Journalist, writer and human rights activist Wilhelm Langthaler argued that inequality caused such reactions but said the system tried to cover social problems by exploiting antagonism to Islam and Turkey.

“There is already a very strong anti-Islamic chauvinism. This is done both locally and institutionally. This chauvinism has spread from the lowest civil servant, to the media, to the political parties,” Langthaler claimed.

Langthaler said both right and left parties painted Muslims as criminals and the source of current social and economic problems. He said there was no trust in left-wing parties because promises were not kept.

*Reporting by Hasan Tosun and Askin Kiyagan; Writing by Ilker Girit