#75: FREEDOM PARTY OF AUSTRIA WANTS TO ENSHRINE CASH IN CONSTITUTION
Professor demands 100% tax on inheritances + Spain's Vox to form government in yet another region + Porsche apologizes for censoring Jesus statue in latest ad + MORE!
AUSTRIAN POPULIST PARTY WANTS TO ENSHRINE CASH IN CONSTITUTION
The Freedom Party of Austria is demanding the use of cash currency to be enshrined in the country’s constitution.
In a statement, FPÖ federal party chairman Herbert Kickl warned about the rise of attempts to abolish cash currency and replace it with a global digital currency.
“Cash is printed freedom, self-determination and security. The FPÖ is the only party that has been warning of the creeping abolition for years. The encroaching EU is now getting serious about its omnipotence and control mania towards its citizens and wants to gradually abolish cash,” wrote Kickl.
Kickl hopes that a national referendum will be held on the matter.
“The only protection of our liberty is the enshrinement of our cash and the right to pay cash in the Constitution. We freedom fighters are fighting for this as the only stable force in this country: side by side with the citizens,” said Kickl.
“That is why we are calling for a referendum on the protection of cash as a means of payment and form of wealth without upper limits and unrestricted cash payments.”
Along with explicitly making cash a part of the country’s constitution, the FPÖ wants protection on cash without any upper limits on its use as well as “a constitutionally stipulated obligation to accept cash for the movement of goods and services.”
The move has received support from Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer.
Mainstream media outlets like Reuters have branded the request as a “right-wing extremist idea.”
PROFESSOR WANTS A 100% TAX ON INHERITANCES
A professor and climate activist in Germany wants the government to abolish inheritance by applying a 100% tax.
According to Professor Stefan Gosepath, who advises on ecological related issues for the The Heinrich Böll Foundation, inheritances allegedly “undermine democracy.”
"Inheritance should be abolished. It's an unfair lottery because it's pure coincidence whether I had rich parents or not,” said Gosepath.
"In Germany in particular there are still very high free contributions for inheritance to children. Grandma's little house, as they say, was always there in the free contribution."
Gosepath admitted that his proposition to abolish inheritance “sounds radical” as it would be “politically even more difficult if one takes away everyone’s family houses.”
Instead of confiscation, Gosepath wants a 100% tax on inheritances meaning that those who inherit a property pay the state for it’s full amount.
"If property means my freedom and after death my freedom disappears - in heaven I don't need any freedom rights - then I don't need any more means either,” said Gosepath.
"It's just like in the coronavirus pandemic. My freedom ends where I endanger the health of others. My property ends where I endanger the freedom of others. So it shouldn't giving too much fortune because it can restrict the freedoms of others."
SPAIN’S VOX TO TAKE PART IN ANOTHER REGIONAL GOVERNMENT
Spain’s populist and right-wing Vox will form yet another regional government after reaching an agreement with the People’s Party.
Last month the People’s Party secured a Pyrrhic election victory after former socialist prime minister Pedro Sanchez called a snap election following a defeat in regional elections this Spring.
After the regional elections, Vox and the People’s Party secured a number of important victories, propelling the controversial Vox into government.
Following the election, Vox and the People’s Party have agreed to form a government in Aragon – marking the fourth regional government Vox has taken a role in this year.
As a result of the deal, the People’s Party will take the Aragon presidency and Vox will take over both the agricultural and justice departments.
UN URGES CAUTION ON EU’S AGRICULTURAL POLICIES
In a rare development, the United Nations is telling the European Union to temper it’s climate change expectations when it comes to the agricultural industry.
According to Divisional Director for Agricultural Economics at the UN Food Organization David Laborde, sustainability endeavors must not come at the expense of ensuring global food security.
The EU has adopted a swathe of pledges in recent years including a 20% reduction in fertilizer use by the year 2030.
"The less Europe produces, the less it will export, and the more it will demand on global markets. This can increase tension," said Laborde.
“I think the greening of European agriculture is very important. It’s about sustainability, and we cannot sacrifice sustainability. But it doesn’t mean that Europe can sacrifice productivity either.”
According to Laborde, the EU must find the correct “mix of domestic and global policy” to not jeapordize food production, while also meeting emission reduction goals.
“In the last three years, what we are seeing is rising food insecurity within European nations,” said Laborde.
PORSCHE APOLOGIZES AFTER CENSORING JESUS STATUE IN NEW AD
The German car company Porsche has issued an apology after a wave of social media outrage over the company’s decision to erase a prominent statue of Jesus Christ in it’s advertisement for the 60th anniversary of the Porsche 911.
Videos shared online of the commercial show the Cristo Rei statue conspicuously missing from the Lisbon, Portugal background, where the ad was filmed in the two and a half minute ad.
Several users on X, formerly known as Twitter, pointed out the edit and asked the company why they decided to remove the figure of Jesus Christ.
In a statement released to Fox News, the commercial was “an early version of the film” and they regretted the decision to release it.
“(It was) an early version of the film, made in Europe, does not feature the statue of Cristo Rei,” said the company’s representatives.
“We sincerely regret and fully understand the pain this has caused. This film has been removed.”