schneefink

The constant terrible political news is exhausting, and I don't even live in the countries most affected. Currently, every bit of positive political news feels like a torch in a cave, so if you are like me, have something that is currently cheering me up: at least for now, the planned surveillance laws in Austria failed.

Some background: Our minister for the interior, Sobotka (from ÖVP, the previously center-right(ish) and now (center-)right party), is an asshole who loves to restrict freedoms because of "security." He planned to severely restrict the right to assemble and protest and managed to implement some restrictions. He's wanted to implement more surveillance laws for a while, then for a while it seemed like they weren't coming, then suddenly there was a draft legislation anyway and they tried to get a vote without the usual time period for comments, then their former coalition partner SPÖ insisted on a comment period but it was now during the summer. Many organizations, including the Constitutional Court, had objections to the proposals, which included a state trojan virus and the ability for internet providers to block websites on "copyright grounds" without notice or possibility for appeal.
There is a parliament website where draft legislation is published and anyone can send in comments. Usually this is only used by experts and organisations, but this time one organisation, epicenter, made a form for any citizen to post there, as a form of online protest. (I did, felt good.) All in all there were over 9.000 comments, many of them very detailed.
So of course the day after the comment period ended ÖVP politicians said that the comments weren't constructive, and Sobotka even said that anyone who disagrees with the surveillance laws (he calls them security laws) is planning an attack on Austria. WTF. However, he's getting sued over that now for defamation and maybe we can finally, finally get rid of him. All fingers crossed. He basically sabotaged the previous coalition and is just all-around terrible.
Fortunately it looks like the SPÖ finally remembered to have a spine and they said they won't to the surveillance package, so for now it won't become law. For now, because we have a general election coming up in October, but. I'll take my victories where I can find them.

(Election: I really really hope until the election is long enough for Kurz to showcase how incompetent he and his party are and how terrible their policy proposals (those which they are brave enough to make public anyway, I imagine the others are worse.) Do NOT want the otherwise most likely government.)

This was meant to be more cheerful. Also shorter... Ah well, I already typed it up.