the anger of the Austrian chancellor after his minister’s vote in favor of a text on the environment

Psychodrama in Austria after the adoption of a flagship text of the European Green Deal. The chancellor cannot digest the fact that his Minister of the Environment voted in favor, going against the line adopted by the coalition government, which preferred to defend the interests of its farmers.

He’s not just angry, Karl Nehammer, he’s furious! To the point of qualifying as “illegal“the vote of his minister, because it does not correspond”at the will of the government”. To have it annulled, Vienna is bringing out the heavy artillery and filing an appeal before the Court of Justice of the European Union. The Minister of the Environment contributed to the adoption of a European bill on nature conservation, in defiance of the Chancellery and the government. The chancellor’s party, the conservative OVP, will therefore file a complaint against her for “abuse of power“.

The text sparked a violent political battle last year, with right-wing MEPs seeing it as a threat to food security and the rural environment, despite several requirements already revised downwards.

Many commentators today believe that it is Léonore Gewessler who emerges victorious from this fight.

“Everything that the Greens have implemented or not implemented in recent years has not necessarily reassured me, said this Internet user, but today I am sincerely grateful for this clear, judicious and forward-looking approach and I take my hat off to Leonore Gewessler“.

Monday June 17, after a legislative marathon, the European Union adopted by a hair’s breadth an essential text for biodiversity and the restoration of nature. The 27 are now committed to “fix” ecosystems in poor condition, for example by reducing pesticides, limiting the decline of bees, planting more trees and hedges, or removing dams to recreate wetlands.

A coalition of NGOs for environmental protection (BirdLife, ClientEarth, WWF, European Environmental Bureau) welcomes “a turning point for nature and society” and calls on States to apply the text “correctly and without delay”. Others speak of progress “historical”going against the anti-environmental discourse that marked the European campaign.

For this measure to pass, the agreement of the environment ministers of at least 15 countries representing 65% of the population of the European Union was required. Before the vote, it seemed impossible: three states had taken a position (Sweden, the Netherlands and Italy) and five had announced that they would abstain. Including Austria, which does not want to impose new burdens on its farmers or fuel the anger of the rural world.

But the Austrian representative changed her mind: at the last moment, the Minister of the Environment decided to vote “for”. “My conscience tells me unequivocally that when the happiness of future generations is at stake, courageous decisions are necessary.” explained the elected environmentalist.

“No government or party can ignore the interests of environmental protection and nature conservation. she added. It was her “yes” and her alone that made it possible to reach the necessary quotas and turn everything around.

Belgium – which holds the rotating presidency of the European Union until the end of June – does not want to give too much echo to this psychodrama, which it reduces to “internal disputes” to Austria.
This dispute is, however, the most spectacular that this unprecedented coalition of the right and the Greens – in power in Vienna since 2020 – has experienced. But it is not surprising: the European elections had barely passed, the country launched into the battle of the legislative elections, which will be held at the end of September. A Social Democratic MP sums up: this story makes us the laughing stock of Europe. It would be even worse if the environment paid the price.