Team HC Strache – Alliance for Austria

Team HC Strache – Alliance for Austria (German: Team HC Strache – Allianz für Österreich, HC) is a political party in Austria. It was founded in December 2019 under the name The Alliance for Austria (German: Die Allianz für Österreich, DAÖ) by three former members of the Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ) led by Karl Baron.[3] In February 2020, former FPÖ leader Heinz-Christian Strache confirmed he would run for the DAÖ in the 2020 Viennese state election.[4] The party subsequently promoted Strache to federal party chairman and adopted its current name.[5] The party failed to win seats in the election.[6]

Team HC Strache - Alliance for Austria

Team HC Strache – Allianz für Österreich
ChairmanHeinz-Christian Strache
Deputy chairmanKarl Baron
General-SecretaryChristian Höbart
Founded12 December 2019
HeadquartersEbendorferstraße 4, 1010 Vienna
IdeologyRight-wing populism
Anti-immigration[1]
Euroscepticism
Political positionFar-right[2][1]
National Council
0 / 183
Federal Council
0 / 61
State diets
0 / 440
European Parliament
0 / 19
Website
http://www.teamhcstrache.at/

Background

Ibiza affair
Main article: Ibiza affair

On 17 May 2019, a secretly-recorded video featuring Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ) politicians Heinz-Christian Strache and Johann Gudenus was released to the press. In the video, both men appear receptive to proposals by a woman calling herself Alyona Makarova, posing as a niece of Russian businessman Igor Makarov, who suggests providing their party with positive news coverage in return for government contracts. Strache and Gudenus also hint at corrupt practices involving other wealthy donors to the FPÖ in Europe and elsewhere.[7]

After the story broke, then-Vice-Chancellor and FPÖ chairman Strache came under intense pressure to step down. The next day, he announced his resignation from the government and as party leader. The scandal led to the collapse of the federal government and a snap election in which the FPÖ suffered substantial losses.[8] Strache was implicated in further corruption in September, and his FPÖ membership was suspended on 1 October. The same day, he announced his withdrawal from politics.[9]

Foundation of the DAÖ
Heinz-Christian Strache with the DAÖ founders at their "New Year's Meeting" in January 2020.

In the Vienna branch of the Freedom Party, where Strache had begun his political career, he still retained some of his popularity. Karl Baron, a strong supporter, was removed as head of the FPÖ's trade association after he voiced his support for Strache to return to politics.[10]

On 12 December 2019, Baron and two other FPÖ members of the Viennese parliament, Dietrich Kops and Klaus Handler, announced that they were leaving the Vienna FPÖ and forming their own party named the Alliance for Austria (DAÖ).[3] They stated their hope that Strache would lead the party in the upcoming Viennese election, and announced his appearance as a speaker at their "New Year's Meeting" on 23 January.[11][12]

On 13 December, Strache was officially expelled from the FPÖ. He stated that he would consider his next steps over Christmas, and did not rule out a return to politics.[13] On 15 December, he denied having any interest in chairing DAÖ, and stated he hoped for a more sustainable project to assist his return.[14]

Strache indeed appeared as a speaker at the DAÖ conference on 23 January. There, he denigrated the FPÖ, describing its line toward him as "ingratiation", and claimed it had "lost head, heart and soul" after his departure. He announced that he would run in the Viennese state election, though he did not directly confirm that he wanted to do so as the lead candidate of DAÖ, stating he needed to have further discussions before an official announcement was made.[15] David Krutzler of Der Standard described this as a delaying tactic, with which Strache sought to "keep interest in his person simmering".[16]

Another conference was held on 23 February; in the lead-up, Strache announced that he would make his candidacy official there. He stated the party would seek to change its name to "List HC" or a similar title; "HC" is an abbreviation of "Heinz-Christian" and a common nickname for Strache in Austria.[4] At an extraordinary party congress on 14 May, the DAÖ renamed itself to Team HC Strache – Alliance for Austria, and adopted the abbreviation "HC" or "Team HC". Strache was also chosen as party chairman, with Baron becoming deputy.[5][17]

In July, a fourth FPÖ deputy in the Viennese parliament, Günter Kasal, defected to Team HC.[18]

2020 Viennese state election
See also: 2020 Viennese state election

Team HC presented its list for the election in August. As expected, Strache was the lead candidate.[19] The character of a number of candidates came under scrutiny, with one candidate recorded as having chanted anti-Semitic slogans, such as "Soros must go!" and "Rothschild must go!". Another had attended a protest against the Austrian COVID-19 response, at which he had insulted federal Chancellor Sebastian Kurz and questioned whether the SARS-CoV-2 virus actually existed. A third was a professional physician who had expressed anti-vaccination beliefs.[20][21]

Team HC won 3.3% of votes cast in the election, below the 5% electoral threshold to enter the legislature.[6] Despite this, Strache insisted he would continue with the party and expand beyond Vienna, naming the local elections in Upper Austria as his next goal.[22]

References
  1. "Austrian far right's ex-leader eyes Vienna comeback after scandal". Politico. 10 October 2020.
  2. "Vienna voters deal blow to the far-right in local elections". Deutsche Welle. 11 October 2020.
  3. "Six fists for a Haceluja: three FPÖ MPs from Vienna found their own club". Der Standard. 12 December 2019.
  4. "Now fixed: Strache is running for the Vienna election". Kurier. 20 February 2020.
  5. "Strache's new party is called "Team HC Strache"". Der Standard. 15 May 2020.
  6. "Gemeinderat election 2020, results of the Vienna Electoral Authority". Viennese Government. Retrieved 14 October 2020.
  7. "Austrian government plunged into crisis over 'Ibiza affair'". France 24. AFP. 18 May 2019. Archived from the original on 20 May 2019.
  8. "Austria chancellor calls for snap election after corruption scandal". BBC News. Archived from the original on 18 May 2019. Retrieved 18 May 2019.
  9. "Strache withdraws from politics". Tagesschau. 1 October 2019.
  10. "Strache supporter Baron loses post". ORF. 9 December 2019.
  11. "Strache supporters found their own club". ORF. 12 December 2019.
  12. "Strache appears as a guest speaker at the DAÖ event". Der Standard. 10 January 2020.
  13. "Verbal attacks and accusations between Strache and Nepp". Der Standard. 13 December 2019.
  14. "Strache does not want the DAÖ chairmanship". ORF. 15 December 2019.
  15. "Strache only hints at coming again". ORF. 23 January 2020.
  16. "Strache is an "egomaniac with overconfidence" for Viennese FPÖ". Der Standard. 24 January 2020.
  17. "Statute of the Party" (PDF). Team HC Strache – Alliance for Austria. 14 May 2020.
  18. "FPÖ Hietzing: Team Strache once and back". ORF. 22 July 2020.
  19. "Strache shows his confidence". ORF. 11 August 2020.
  20. "After the Ibiza affair: Strache returns - with dubious colleagues". Augsburger Allgemeine. 17 August 2020.
  21. "The medical association and the police take a close look at Strache candidates". Kurier. 13 August 2020.
  22. "Team HC Strache continues". ORF. 15 October 2020.
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