PANEL DISCUSSION 2025

Susanne FÜRST:
IN CENTRAL EUROPE WE FORM A COMMUNITY OF DESTINY AND WE HAVE TO REVIVE OUR DEEP UNDERSTANDING

Thank you very much, distinguished members of the panel and esteemed guests. 

Under the leadership of Chairman Tomáš Kulman, the Patrimonium Sancti Adalberti has called us to Prague again to discuss our shared future, the future of Central Europe. Once again, so many representatives of our countries have gathered here to take part in the discussion. I would like to thank them for inviting us and for hosting us in this beautiful and wonderful city. For the first time, I have the honour of representing my party, the Freedom Party of Austria, at this event. Let me start with a short summary of the political situation in Austria. I thought that might be of interest to you.

One year ago, in September 2024, we had federal elections in Vienna, and our party was the clear winner with around 29%. It was a historic result and a strong, strong mandate from our voters for a change in politics. However, the establishment parties managed to form an alliance of the conservatives, the socialists, and the liberals to block us and send us into opposition again. There seemed to be some interest – or, to be more precise, some pressure – from Brussels to keep us away from power and from government. Now, one year later, we are polling at 36–38%. Yesterday, we had the latest polls, which showed us at 38%, and our party leader, Herbert Kickl, enjoys even higher approval rating – close to 40% – as candidate for chancellor.

Meanwhile, we are represented in the regional governments of five federal states: Vorarlberg, Salzburg, Upper Austria, Lower Austria, and Styria. In Styria, we even hold the governor's office. The governor is our former defence minister, Mario Kunasek. So the Austrian Freedom Party is on its way, and we will – sooner or later, I hope sooner, God willing – lead the government in our country. But what is crucial for us here? Why did we win? And why are all patriotic parties on the rise? Why do people trust us more and more, and what do they expect? They trust us because we address their real problems, their real worries and fears: the war, illegal migration, crime, security, affordable living, the declining economic situation, health care, social security, and the preservation of our freedom, individual freedom, and the sovereignty of our countries. We also have to preserve our true values and our cultures.

They expect us to have solutions to these problems – problems which are the consequences of deeply irresponsible policies, both at national level and at European level. And what unites us here is the intention to straighten out this imbalance and replace it with a rational policy of common sense. We simply want to bring Europe back on track. And I am very optimistic about our chances of being successful because, meanwhile, back in Austria, the self-paralysing and unlucky three-party coalition in Vienna is already blocking itself. They are not able to provide any solutions at all. The only thing that unites them is their fight against us and their compliance with the demands of the EU. They follow Brussels' path, whatever the cost, and that path is not our path. It is not the path for Central Europe that we are discussing and developing here.

The future – this future of a Central Europe of common sense – is of utmost importance to us. We form a community of destiny. We have a historical responsibility now, and there is a historic bridge between our countries. We have to walk it and we have to revive our deep understanding. And most importantly, we have to put our differences aside. Let us stand together and concentrate on our common interests, the interests of our peoples. And above all, I think it is in our common interest to fight against centralising tendencies in Brussels. Why? Because, unfortunately, we have to witness how the European Union is failing in all areas. It starts with what should be its core area of competence: the economy, competitiveness. The EU has failed to protect the economic interests of its member states against US trade policy. It fails to secure raw material supplies, supply chains, and markets. The European Union plays no significant role at all in the global struggle for economic supremacy between the US and China.

Furthermore, the EU is eagerly working to further destroy our economies in various ways. The most outstanding example is still the Green Deal, with the aim – the crazy aim – of reducing CO2 emissions to zero by 2050. Despite all the damage already caused, Brussels still sticks to this aim. They confirmed this goal of reducing emissions by 90% again only a few days ago at the summit. That means reducing our prosperity by 90%, in my view. At the summit there was once again no objection from our government. As always, they swallowed it. We cannot allow that.

The European Union also fails in the area of security and peacekeeping. The EU fails to safeguard our interests amid the many conflict zones surrounding Europe. It is not capable, or even willing, to contribute to preventing or ending wars in its neighbourhood. On the contrary, its path leads straight into extending wars and involving the member states in foreign conflicts. And they give away our money. By the way, the weak but arrogant and moralising appearance of EU Commission President von der Leyen makes us a laughing stock in the rest of the world. It weakens all of us. And that is not funny. It is dangerous.

I think we all remember the pictures this summer of von der Leyen beside President Donald Trump, who did not negotiate with her at all about the tariffs. He dictated his conditions to her, and she said: 'Thank you, Mr President.' But back in Europe, she told us she had negotiated hard and fought for us, and that this was the best she could get. So: weak, incompetent, arrogant. This is the leadership we have in Brussels – we cannot allow this leadership in Brussels any more. It has to stop. We need new leadership.

The third big issue is, as we all know, migration – illegal migration. The EU fails –another failure – to protect the external borders of our community. They have not only failed to protect us from illegal migration, but they have also funded it, and they still do. In my view, the damage done to our countries by illegal migration since 2015 is the biggest failure of the EU, and it is symptomatic that most of the Central European states have demonstrated their rationality and common sense in protecting their countries from the consequences of the open border policy. They have done a much better job than we have. With great effort and cleverness, most of you have managed to master this challenge. Austria and, if I may say so, Italy were not so lucky. We lost the path of common sense, and we are on the way towards a society which is turning into hell. But still, controlling our borders and forcing the European Commission to close the external borders is one of the crucial challenges we have to face.

Despite this complete failure of the European Commission, it wants to lead, to centralise, and to strip away the sovereignty of the member states. But that is out of the question. We cannot allow that. The EU has lost all its legitimacy to represent us properly, and it is our task now. Our task must be to represent jointly the common interests of the Central European states. Within the European Union itself, we must be the dominant force. In this respect, this is the idea of the Patrimonium. At this time, the Hungarian Prime Minister, Mr Orbán, calls for a strong Central European bloc of our countries, a bloc that could lead over the next decade to a completely different European Union, a European Union we could fall in love with. That would be a union of sovereign nations that are free to determine their own paths and fate. And the bloated, bureaucratic institution of the EU must be dismantled and replaced by a lean union that refocuses on its original purpose. That will not be easy, but the first step is to start with Central Europe.

We just have to ask again: what do people expect from us? And we have to provide solutions: a strong economy, cheap energy, and less bureaucracy. We have to free our economy. No Green Deal at all. It is destroying us. And there will be no end to fossil-fuel cars because we like them. I like them, and I want to drive my diesel Mercedes. And we need our automobile industry. Zero-emission targets belong in the garbage. Free industry. Free technology. Stop deindustrialisation and stop the communistic five-year plans to reduce CO2 emissions. We need cheap energy through closer cooperation in the energy sector. And we will achieve less bureaucracy with less Brussels.

We have to stay out of war. We have to follow the path of peace. We have to keep peace where we can. No war, no illegal migration. It is possible. We need strong cooperation on border issues and a clear no to the EU migration pact. To achieve our goals, we need a framework, but it must remain lean and cost-efficient. I think it should be based on personal contacts. We have to concentrate on our essential common interests. We have to define joint positions and implement joint projects. I think this will be discussed this afternoon. And most importantly, we have to hold together and keep our word. Then we will be a force in Brussels that cannot be stopped. Thank you very much.