In early February 2023, I reported the crushing -10% losses sustained by the dominant (conservative-in-name-only) People’s Party (ÖVP) of Lower Austria; see here for particulars.
While the Freedom Party (FPÖ) was the only faction to quite consistently call out the régime’s Covid mandates, which incl. the aborted federal vaxx mandate and the ‘lockdown for the unvaccinated’, it was the natural winner of these state elections. Of course, legacy media was loath to acknowledge this, but within a few days of the election, it was undeniably true: pro-FPÖ swings correlated highly with the share of ‘unvaccinated’ people per precinct; see here for particulars.
What followed looked almost comically farcical, though: at first, the People’s Party negotiated with the Social Democrats (which are currently fighting amongst themselves, on which see here) but eventually turned to the FPÖ.
A Trip Down Memory Lane: Origins of the Vaxx Mandate
Now the Freedom Party’s state leader, one Udo Landbauer, had consistently called out ÖVP chieftain Johanna Mikl-Leitner for being the original sponsor of the planned federal vaccine mandate:
Caption reads: ‘the most important result is that there will be a vaccine mandate in the near-future’ (source)
The FPÖ had ruled out to collaborate with Mikl-Leitner because of what she said in autumn 2021 (my translation and emphases):
Mandatory vaccination will shows us the way out of the pandemic, because no-one among us can accept it that, due to the lack of willingness to get vaccinated of the few, we are repeatedly forced to impose one lockdown after another…
This vaccine mandate is the guarantee that we leave the pandemic behind us…I only consented to the lockdown in exchange for the decision to impose mandatory vaccination…because the people are done with lockdowns…which makes us impose upon the vaccinated these restrictions, for we all feel it, the unvaccinated have become a massive mill around the neck of the vaccinated…
Haggling and Consequence: Covid Reparations
So, the FPÖ has now entered into an arrangement with the above-shown politician—which Landbauer had ruled out consistently throughout the campaign. Heck, the FPÖ actually campaigned on the ‘retribution for Covid mandates’ platform, which brought them a hefty plus.
As news broke that this was about to come to pass, many people were shocked—the Zero Covid Hawks because they objected to the FPÖ entering government, the Freedom Party’s sympathisers because they feared being sacrificed.
In the end, though, there was a curious turn-of-events:
Yes, the Freedom Party is going to rule together with the People’s Party, but in exchange they extracted major concessions, in particular a ‘Covid Reparation Fund’. The following is excerpted, translated, and with emphases added by me; original source here.
For more than three years, the pandemic and Corona measures had a massive impact on the lives of the population in all areas of life.
Responsible politics means looking back critically, admitting mistakes, and learning from them. We know that damage was caused by the pandemic and a number of measures…
The State of Lower Austria shall establish a fund to the tune of 30 million Euros for a period of two years to evaluate the consequences of the Corona measures and to compensate those who suffered negative effects from said mandates. Funding will be used to provide counselling to those who affected
individual, to pay for medical care for vaccine-injured people, incl. payment for
mental problems and any remedies that may be required, incl. additional
support for extra tutoring and other necessary support, primarily for children and adolescents…
The State of Lower Austria will repay all fees and penalties—generated by enforcement of the Corona mandates—deriving from those mandates that were declared unconstitutional…
The State of Lower Austria will earmark these funds to be directed to the fund established by 1…
The State of Lower Austria rescinds vaccination mandate for all public-sector employees…
The State of Lower Austria will invite all those applicants who were disqualified because of their vaccination status to renew their application…
The State of Lower Austria will not set any policies that constitute, whether directly or indirectly, discrimination based on, or deriving from, one’s vaccination status.
The State of Lower Austria will promulgate dedicated legislation on the state level to the effect [of 6.].
The State of Lower Austria will no longer advertise Covid vaccinations.
The State of Lower Austria rescinds all remaining mask mandates in public-sector health-care settings from 30 April 2023 onwards.
The State of Lower Austria will empanel a commission to evaluate all Covid mandates…
Well played, FPÖ, I’d say. If this isn’t a big win for people power, I don’t know what could be.
Also, this triggered the Zero Covid Hawks: it’s irresponsible, anti-’The Science™’, and the like. As much as I’d like to gloat, let’s not afford these people more space than necessary.
Covid ‘Expert’ Panel Disbanded
Finally, upon learning of these developments, three members of the government’s ‘expert panel’ (GECKO) announced their resignation. Formed in late 2021 to coordinate the federal Covid policies, the commission was set to disband later this spring, but since many of its ‘experts’ bemoaned the above-related developments, Chancellor Nehammer now disbanded the panel. Good riddance.
The last word shall go to notorious Viagra-pusher Herwig Kollaritsch, long one of Big Pharma’s most trusted fellow salesman:
In Kollaritsch's view, however, it is wrong that the province of Lower Austria—after the ÖVP-FPÖ pact—no longer wants to advertise the CoV vaccination. This would risk many people missing their optimal vaccination date and then falling seriously ill. However, virologist Dorothee von Laer does not fear any major repercussions because the Ministry of Health is responsible for this and not the province.
If you’d like to learn more about the two ‘experts’, please see this:
So sad. No longer a military guy in camo suit who warns of the dangers of Sars-Cov2 on TV 😭.
But it‘s not over yet and my feeling is that in some parts of Covidistan it will never be over. Some schools are still testing and masking children (if you can believe the stories of some Telegram users).
Well, I can tell you no politician will pay out of pocket. This is what equity court demands, if we really go with natural law. This was a MAJOR government trespass!
So sad. No longer a military guy in camo suit who warns of the dangers of Sars-Cov2 on TV 😭.
But it‘s not over yet and my feeling is that in some parts of Covidistan it will never be over. Some schools are still testing and masking children (if you can believe the stories of some Telegram users).
Well, I can tell you no politician will pay out of pocket. This is what equity court demands, if we really go with natural law. This was a MAJOR government trespass!