“We aim to balance a Utopian vision of a radically different system with realistic steps to improve life”, state the LINKS candidates at the upcoming Austrian parliamentary elections.
Note from LeftEast editors. This is a reprint of an interview which was originally published at Mašina. The article appears within the framework of the East European Left Media Outlet (ELMO).
On September 29, Austrians will vote for a new parliament. As in other European countries, the far right is poised to make gains, and there is even the possibility that the FPÖ, the party that many on the left simply call “the fascists,” will lead the next government.
Although on a smaller scale than the rise of the Austrian far right, another success story is unfolding in the Central European country. After major victories in Gratz, a historic breakthrough in the conservative stronghold of Salzburg and the Alpine town of Innsbruck, the Communist Party of Austria (KPÖ), supported by other left-wing organizations, is very likely to enter parliament for the first time since 1956. The Austrian left is determined to fight hard to prevent the far right from gaining power.
LINKS (which means left in German) is a left-wing party operating in the capital city of Vienna. Since its founding in 2020, LINKS members have been elected to Vienna’s district councils and to the Chamber of Labor, which represents workers in the Austrian system of social partnership alongside the Austrian Trade Union Federation.
LINKS is running together with the KPÖ in the parliamentary elections, and two spokespersons of the Viennese party, Angelika Adensamer and Anna Svec, have a good chance of becoming MPs.
We had the opportunity to discuss the politics of LINKS and the elections with Anna Svec and Angelika Adensamer, and we were fortunate enough to be joined by Christine Spormann, head of communications for the LINKS campaign and a district councillor, who shared with us her experience of participating in district politics.
András Juhász (AJ): Why are you running with the Communist Party of Austria?
Angelika Adensamer (AA): We at Links have always wanted to cooperate with other groups and organizations on the left, instead of emphasizing our differences. The Communist Party of Austria does a lot of great work in Graz, Salzburg, Innsbruck and other cities, which we recognize and appreciate. Our cooperation in Vienna is not new. We ran together in the 2020 elections and share seats on Vienna’s district councils.
The political moment also speaks to the importance of fighting the electoral battle together. The Communist Party hasn’t been in parliament since 1956, but now we have a good chance of crossing the 4% threshold, which is all the more important given the rise of the far right.
JA: What composition of parliament is realistic after the September elections?
AA: I think there are two possible outcomes. And the more likely one is that there will be another right-wing government like we had in, what was it, 2017 to 2019, when the right-wing conservative Österreichische Volkspartei (ÖVP) and the far-right Freiheitliche Partei Österreichs (FPÖ) had a coalition government. And now it looks like it might be possible again. It’s even possible that the chancellor will be from the FPÖ.
The other possibility is that the social democrats (Sozialdemokratische Partei Österreichs, SPÖ) manage to form a government. In this scenario, the left-wing parties, the Communist Party, could be the straw that breaks the camel’s back — making a right wing government impossible.
AJ: Once in Parliament, what will you really push for as members of LINKS?
Anna Svec (AS): In the case of a far-right and conservative-right coalition government, we really hope that there will be a real and strong left opposition that can make the voices of the economically, socially and politically disadvantaged heard.
In the case of a government led by the social democrats, we would strongly emphasize the pressing issues of wealth distribution in Austria, the acquisition of citizenship and the exercise of the right to asylum.
AA: Austria is one of the few EU countries that doesn’t have a wealth or inheritance tax. In order to have a fairer distribution of wealth, we need to introduce such taxation. We also have to push for social benefits, minimum wages and pensions that really offer the possibility of a decent and good life.
AS: Austria is also one of the countries where it is most difficult to become a citizen. One of the consequences is a less democratic system, as one fifth of the people living in Austria cannot vote or be voted for.
AJ: Do you know these numbers for Vienna?
AA: Yes, in Vienna it is higher than the national average; it is about a third of the population that cannot participate in the national elections, and in some districts of the city it is as high as 40 percent.
AJ: You mentioned the right to asylum as an important issue for your party.
AA: Austria is one of the hardliners in the EU when it comes to the right to asylum. We think it’s absolutely necessary to defend the right to asylum, to open our country to people who need protection, who are fleeing wars and the consequences of the climate crisis, an issue that will become more and more serious as the crisis unfolds.
AS: The debate on asylum and migration has shifted very much to the right. Even the Social Democrats and the Greens support some of the right-wing restrictive measures on these issues, and mainstream politicians tend not to take a clear stance on protecting these rights because they think it will hurt their ratings.
We think it is very important to fight for asylum and migration rights at home and internationally. The system oppresses people internationally and we have to fight together for a just international system. Socialism must be internationalist.
AJ: The first section of your political program on the Links website is anti-capitalism. Could you describe what you mean by that and how it shapes your political work?
AA: For us, anti-capitalism means recognizing that many forms of oppression-whether it’s racism, patriarchy, labor or environmental exploitation-are interconnected and stem from a system focused on profit. Our analysis shows that the capitalist system is at the root of many of the social, economic and environmental problems we face.
Our challenge now is to translate this understanding of the system into concrete, manageable demands that address both short- and long-term goals. We aim to balance a utopian vision of a radically different system with realistic steps to improve life within the current system. It’s about making progress now while highlighting the need for broader systemic change.
For example, as a Viennese party, it’s important that we address the immediate issues, such as whether a homeless person can sleep on a bench. But we also have to ask why homelessness exists in the first place. This means proposing solutions that address the immediate problems while keeping the bigger picture in mind.
AS: We believe in offering both radical positions and practical solutions. We’re not afraid to push for big changes, even if they seem unrealistic to some. The current system is already extreme for many people, and the crises we face – like the climate crisis – require equally radical solutions.
The problems are obvious, and the scale of change required is significant. It’s not enough to propose small fixes, like planting a few more trees. That’s the truly “crazy” idea in the face of overwhelming problems like the climate crisis.
Our goal has always been to take these problems seriously and have the courage to propose bold changes. People understand that the current system is unsustainable, and we need to show that real change is possible. It’s important for the left to rebuild confidence in the possibility of meaningful change.
Small steps into the districts
A.J. Vienna is divided into districts, each of which has its own local government. Since the 2020 elections, Links has representatives in a number of districts. What are your experiences so far in this local level of politics?
Christin Spormann: We learned a lot by getting involved in county politics. We had to find out how the system works and what we can achieve. Vienna has been under Social Democratic control since the end of World War II, and we often hear “you can’t do that” from representatives of that party. But we’ve found ways to get around obstacles and implement our policies by finding loopholes and creative solutions.
One of the things we have learned is that even if you are not in government, it is important to be a strong opposition. In my district, for example, we’ve managed to push the Social Democrats towards more feminist policies. At first they didn’t take me seriously, dismissing me as a young, inexperienced woman. But after consistently challenging their arguments and pointing out contradictions, they now see me as representing a serious political force. Over time, I’ve noticed that their policies have shifted more in line with the positions we advocated years ago, which I consider a small success.
It’s important to be persistent, confident and clear in your positions. I was unsure of myself at first, but I quickly realized that you can get people to listen, even those with years of political experience. It was a great learning experience for me.
One of my focuses was feminist community politics. A big success was introducing workshops for boys in schools to deal with violence and to teach them that violence – especially against women – is unacceptable. This initiative was implemented with the help of the organization Men’s Counseling. Despite initial skepticism, it worked, and it’s a victory for feminist politics in the district.
As part of the anti-racist debate, we’ve also introduced resolutions for “safe havens” in the district, worked on social infrastructure, and discussed how district budgets are allocated. We’ve learned how to repurpose buildings for community needs. Participating in local politics teaches us how to work on very concrete issues that directly affect people’s lives.
The relationship between the left and trade unions in Austria
AJ Do trade unions play a role in Austrian politics?
AA: Austria has a social partnership system, where the country is divided between labor representatives and company representatives. The Labour Chamber plays a key role here, representing workers’ interests, though it’s not a trade union. We recently ran in the Labour Chamber elections and gained four mandates, which is part of a broader rise in leftist representation.
We at Links support workers’ protests and strikes, both on the ground and by spreading information through our channels. This was an important part of our work, especially around the Labor Chamber elections. It’s important to support workers’ demands for higher wages, shorter hours and better conditions.
Supporting these concrete workers’ struggles is crucial. It is in these struggles that people learn how to organize, demand change and fight for better living conditions, which lays the foundation for systemic change. There’s a growing demand from workers for more participation in union decision-making, especially during strikes. Unions are often too detached from the grassroots and too focused on bargaining rather than fighting for real change.
Some workers are excluded from union representation, such as care workers and delivery drivers, many of whom are technically self-employed but effectively controlled by employment agencies. These workers, often from abroad, are not classified as employees and are ignored by unions. This must change. Unions must step up and represent all workers, including those in precarious, platform-based jobs.