Korányi and their concerns for Austrian democracy

The American-based, internationally disruptive foundation known as Action for Democracy, headed by Korányi Dávid, is currently looking to intervene in the Austrian elections. As we may recall, this was the civil organization that provided over 3 billion forints to Hungarian left-wing political organizations and media outlets prior to the 2022 parliamentary elections. Although they denied any intention of political interference, the unified left-wing parties in Hungary received a significant amount from the dubiously collected American funds.

Action for Democracy has already been active during the Polish and Italian elections, and now they aim to influence the Austrian parliamentary elections scheduled for September 29, 2024. Wherever there is a serious chance of victory for the right-wing, Korányi’s group appears, targeting the American left-wing for some reason. In the respective country, they support selected organizations, such as the “Mindenki Magyarországa Mozgalom” in Hungary. At least, that is what they have done so far.

The approach in Austria is different this time, as in this current application process, they are not choosing a specific organization for support, but rather – theoretically at least – waiting for applications from those who wish to act against “autocratic tendencies” and in defense of “democratic values and institutions.”

Each civil organization can receive a grant of $50,000 as a result of the application process. Applicants must serve either mobilization for the elections or implement innovative and effective measures against “disillusionment and detachment from politics.” Supporting local communities is also one of Korányi’s group’s goals, “in defense of democratic values and institutions,” of course.

These slogans may sound familiar, as during the 2022 campaign, the Korányi-led civil organization initially aimed solely to serve mobilization through their campaign called “Magyar Tavasz.” However, they also talked about a “cultural shift” during the elections. Eventually, it turned out that former NATO commanders and former American government officials attempted to intervene through Korányi’s NGO in support of the Hungarian left-wing in the parliamentary elections. Therefore, it is advisable to approach Action for Democracy’s goals with caution.

And whose applications are they waiting for?

Non-governmental civil society organizations that:
– are non-partisan
– have no connection to any political group or organization
– operate on a national or rural level
– support an environment and ecosystem that enables the growth and flourishing of civil society
– comply with all Austrian and American rules and regulations, including relevant election and campaign finance laws
– communicate transparently about the received support.

The intervention attempt by Korányi and his group is not random, as the right-wing Austrian Freedom Party won the European Parliament elections and the conservative Austrian People’s Party came in second. The support for the right-wing is clear. Thus, the FPÖ, a party fighting alongside Hungarian Prime Minister in the Patriot family, could easily come to power after the autumn elections.

Moreover, reports suggest that the right-wing has only strengthened since the elections, and the proportion of Austrians dissatisfied with the European Union is increasing, with some even considering leaving it.