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Unfiltered, Unbridled Revelations: The Red Wave in Austria's Student Union
Embrace the raw, unapologetic truth as we delve into the juicy, no-holds-barred world of Austria's student politics! The Austrian Student Union (ÖH) has witnessed a game-changing event - a two-party coalition taking the helm for the first time in eons! The power duo comprises the Socialist Students' Association (VSStÖ) and the Green and Alternative Students (GRAS), with Selina Wienerroither from VSStÖ assuming the coveted position of ÖH chairwoman.
The epic showdown went down at the Technical University (TU) Vienna last Friday. Wienerroither clinched the top spot with a decisive 31 out of 53 votes, putting her at the forefront of the ÖH for the initial half of the two-year term, starting from July 1st. GRAS's Viktoria Kudrna, who garnered 44 votes, will step up as first vice-chair for the first year, then they'll switch roles. Umut Can Ovat, another VSStÖ ace, nabbed 31 votes and bags the second vice-chair position for the entire term.
This red students' victory certainly reminds us of the old adage, "Red means lead!"
The Fall of the Three-Headed Beast
For the past two dizzying years, the ÖH thrones were manned by a three-party coalition involving VSStÖ, GRAS, and the Communist Students' Association - Left List (KSV-LiLi). The reigning queen, Sarah Rossmann from GRAS, passed her scepter after her two-year tenure.
The incoming VSStÖ-GRAS coalition vows to battle for a free, accessible university and combat unjustice, barriers, and discrimination within universities. They're also set on perpetuating the ÖH as a powerful champion against climate change. The coalition's political identity shines as democratic, progressive, solidarity-based, queer-feminist, anti-capitalist, anti-racist, and anti-fascist.
Exorcizing the Knock-out Demons
The newly-crowned rulers plan to initiate an informational campaign on student grants, as an embarrassingly low 12% of students are currently availing themselves of this support. Working in collaboration with the workers' representation, temporary contact points for students with labor law queries will sprout across Austria.
Politically, the coalition eyes advocating for a study admission phase sans knock-out exams, establishing an anti-racism counseling center at the ÖH, and questioning the federal government for an action plan against right-wing extremism. Boosting voter turnout remains a pressing concern, as mere 22% of voters cast their ballots in the last election.
A Rags-to-Riches Tale
The new ÖH monarch, Selina Wienerroither, was born on January 2nd, 2003, and hails from a humble family of workers. Post-graduating from the Commercial Academy in Vöcklabruck, she ventured to Vienna to study theatre, film, and media sciences.
Her journey with VSStÖ kicked off via the Critical Students' Initiative (AKS), where she served as its deputy federal chairwoman in 2022/23. Within the red students, she initially found her footing as press spokesperson, later progressing as spokesperson for university politics.
Wienerroither’s electoral campaign pledged her commitment to fighting for social justice in the educational system, as a child of the working class.
A History-making Victory With a Disappointing Turnout
In the ÖH election in mid-May, VSStÖ chalked up its most impressive results in history with a whopping 30% of the votes and 18 seats out of a total 55 in the Austrian-wide student parliament.
The AG, OVP-aligned, managed to grab 12 seats, while GRAS followed closely with eleven. JUNOS and FLÖ claimed an equal four seats each, with KSV-KJÖ and KSV-LiLi nabbing two seats apiece. The Ring Freiheitlicher Studenten (RFS) and “Who the F*ck is Herbert?” clinched one seat each.
What was the political identity of the newly formed coalition in the Austrian Student Union and how does it plan to impact the organization? The newly formed coalition, consisting of the Socialist Students' Association (VSStÖ) and the Green and Alternative Students (GRAS), identifies as democratic, progressive, solidarity-based, queer-feminist, anti-capitalist, anti-racist, and anti-fascist. They aim to combat injustice, barriers, and discrimination within universities, perpetuate the ÖH as a powerful champion against climate change, and initiate various campaigns to address student grants, knock-out exams during study admission phase, and right-wing extremism. They also aspire to increase voter turnout, as low participation was observed during the last election.
