194/2018 • 25 AUGUST, 2018 WEEKEND ISSUE
DAILY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Austriaʼs Sebastian Kurz cozies up to German conservatives They hailed the controversial Austrian leaderʼs electoral success
Members of Angela Merkelʼs conservative CDU have welcomed Sebastian Kurz at a conference in Erfurt where he spoke of the need to secure Europeʼs borders.
Pulling at the collars on button-down shirts and rearranging summer dresses in the sticky summer heat, some 3,300 members of German Chancellor Angela Merkelʼs conservative Christian Democrats (CDU) descended on Erfurt Thursday evening for an annual gathering of the partyʼs Thuringia state faction. A year after Merkel herself was guest of honor at the event, talk among conservative voters at the eastern German cityʼs convention center was only of one man: this yearʼs guest of honor,Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz. ʼA Europe that protectsʼ As he entered to a soundtrack that wouldnʼt be out of place in Lord of the Rings, alongside his host Mike Mohring, who heads the CDU parliamentary group in Thuringia, the words "A Europe that Protects" filled the hallʼs huge screens. The slogan is the official motto forAustriaʼs sixthmonth presidency of the Council of the European Union, borrowed for the evening by Thuringiaʼs conservatives. "Peace, freedom, security and prosperity," thatʼs what securing the future of a united EU is about, Kurz told the audience. For the Austrian chancellor, that meansclosing the EUʼs external borders, getting rid of Merkelʼs refugee quotas for member states, erecting asylum centers outside the bloc and refusing migrant rescue ships from docking. Call to close EU bordersWhen it comes to the question of migration, Kurz has
sided with far-right figuressuch as Italian Interior Minister Matteo Salvini and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban. He has also cozied up to Germanyʼs hard-line conservative interior minister, Horst Seehofer, who heads the CDUʼs Bavarian sister party, the CSU, and has arguably been the biggest political thorn in Merkelʼs side over the past several months. "Europeʼs internal borders canʼt function if the external borders donʼt work," Kurz said, drawing enthusiastic applause from the attendees. Outside at the bratwurst sausage buffet, however, opinions wavered. "He doesnʼt just think about Austria, he thinks of everything on a European, even a worldwide scale," said Jürgen, a 63-year-old CDU member, after Kurzʼs speech. "Itʼs also good that heʼs keeping the door open to Russia," said Jürgenʼs 61year-old wife, Christine. She, however, isnʼt a fan of completely closing the EUʼs borders. "There are plenty of refugees who integrate well. We just need stricter checks," Christine added, as her husband shook his head in disagreement. Conservative ʼrole modelʼKonstantin, a 22-year-old apprentice electrician, believes Kurz could be a "role model" for conservatives across Europe. "The CDU needs to become more conservative again after Merkel," he said. So conservative that it could consider forming a coalition government with the farright?
Madrid approves measure to exhume Francoʼs remains
German coffers bulge as country books record surplus
Climate change sets the world on fire
Forest fires near Berlin could burn for days
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchezʼs Socialist government has called for the exhumation of Francisco Francoʼs remains, despite conservative complaints that decree-law should only be used for national emergencies. Sanchez ousted conservative Mariano Rajoy in a June noconfidence vote, and has made his vow to remove Francoʼs remains one of his governmentʼs headline policies. "Spain canʼt allow symbols that divide Spaniards," he said.
The German economy continues to power forward, despite concerns over how global trade conflicts could affect Europeʼs powerhouse. Destatis, the countryʼs main statistics office, released data on Friday showing that the countryhad notched up yet another six-month record budget surplusin the first half of 2018, taking in €48.1 billion ($55.6 billion) more than it spent from January to June when federal, state and local accounts were added together.
In 2017, parts of Europe, Canada and the US were ravaged by wildfires on an unprecedented scale. In 2018, new records are being set around the world as hot, dry temperatures and fires become the new normal. Almost 20 fires have ravaged California over the past two months. Some are still blazing. The region is experiencing earlier, longer and more ferocious wildfire seasons due to increasingly hot, dry temperatures.
German authorities have warned that it could be some time until forest fires burning outside Berlin are extinguished. Hundreds of firefighters have been deployed to the area, but strong winds are hampering their efforts. Wildfires threatening villages southwest of Berlin could continue burning for days, Brandenburg state Premier Dietmar Woidke said during a visit to region on Friday. "At the moment, itʼs not clear when we will be able to give the all-clear…it could be a matter of days," he told reporters. "The wind is a huge a concern."