A coffee with Michael Raml

Tips: Why did you go into politics?

Michael Raml: I was class representative and then deputy school representative when I was at school. I enjoyed it back then and it was important to me to stand up for others and be a mouthpiece. I then met people from the Freedom Youth Party and that’s how it just happened. I hadn’t planned to become a professional politician. At the age of 22, I ran for local council for the first time, was immediately given the party’s trust and was able to win a mandate. During this time, I finished my law degree. After that, I worked as a university assistant at the Institute for Administrative Law, dealing mainly with constitutional issues, and that’s when my interest in becoming more politically active increased.

Tips: Keyword trust. The lying scandal, if you can call it that, has shaken trust in politics. Even before that, the increasing disillusionment with politics and also the mistrust of politicians were an issue. How would you try to restore trust?

Michael Raml: By having more contact with the citizens again. In my opinion, many politicians are too isolated in their offices. Desk work is important, there are documents that need to be studied in peace. But you must never lose contact with the population. Then you can hear very quickly how what you are doing or planning is being received. And I think you should always capture a good mood. No matter what the decision may look like at the end of the day. I think that this has also led to an enormous loss of trust, because people often feel that politics is not making them feel included.

Tips: We are here in the Volksgarten, where a project is intended to defuse conflicts of use. What is your interim assessment?

Michael Raml: I believe we have at least managed to improve the situation. But order and security must become a matter of course in our city again. At the moment, the security service, the police and also the social workers must be very consistent in ensuring that the rules that have been drawn up are adhered to. And: a new group is currently starting to settle in the Volksgarten, and they are causing huge problems for the existing groups: drug dealers. The police must remove them from circulation so that we can successfully complete this good path that we have taken, which will also be a long one.

Tips: Does it make sense to roll out the project to the main station?

Michael Raml: This is already underway because we want to make the main station and especially the forecourt a calling card for our city again. The security service is currently getting everyone to a table so that we can continue the project there together, again accompanied by the social work. We also need the security service, the police, the ÖBB and also the Upper Austrian railway company. In one respect, our consistency has paid off: the bus terminal will be redesigned next year and there will also be a security service there after the renovation.

I therefore believe that now is the right time to think about various measures for the station forecourt. I am very open to the outcome. Both in terms of an alcohol ban and a police protection zone or video surveillance, but I believe that a bundle of measures will be needed there again and everyone will have to pull together to implement them, just like we are doing in the city center.

Tips: One of the FPÖ’s core issues is migration, which is decided primarily at EU and federal level. Cities are particularly called upon to help with integration. You have spoken several times about encouraging migrants. Doesn’t successful integration also require an outstretched hand, i.e. support?

Michael Raml: No, I really believe that integration is primarily the responsibility of immigrants. And that it is Austria’s right and the city of Linz’s right to demand integration services as a foundation.

Tips: But don’t you also have to feel welcome in order to want to integrate?

Michael Raml: I am convinced that the people of Linz have no problem with people who come to Austria legally, lawfully, who are here to contribute to society, who want to work, who want to learn our language. We don’t want people who come to our country illegally because we have such a good social system that they want to benefit from first and foremost. I also really believe that municipal social benefits must be the end result of a successful integration process.

Tips: We are currently in the middle of a heatwave. The FPÖ is strongly in favor of the need for parking spaces in the city center – how can a “climate-fit” city center be reconciled with this?

Michael Raml: You can’t just look at the city center on its own. You also have to look at the famous cold air cutters. I see a total disproportion at the moment.I do not believe that we will provide significant cooling in the city center with individual, sometimes mini trees at great expense, when at the same time in the university district up to100,000 square meters of grassland are to be converted and built on. This is an important cold air corridor. This will not only affect the quality of life in Urfahr, but also the city center. There is no connection between the two. A handful of trees for a lot of money and at the same time destroying 100,000 square meters of grassland.

Tips: But of course it is cooler under a tree than in a parking lot. You are calling for parking spaces in the city, how can the two be reconciled? Should the parking spaces be put underground?

Michael Raml: That is always the ideal. Any neighborhood garage would be wonderful, but it is associated with immense costs. Also for those who need the parking space. I think there are possibilities. We still have large sealed areas that are not available for cars. Currently Martin-Luther-Platz, a good solution has been found there. But it took years. It is shocking that not so many years ago a lot of money was spent on planning this square. The second would be Pfarrplatz, which is also very large and where there are a few trees. I still think that in a narrow street, when I think of Domgasse, where no tree has probably grown for centuries, it makes no sense to plant mini trees.

Tips: One last question: How would you describe yourself in three words?

Michael Raml: Close to the people. Solution-oriented. Pragmatic.