On the 13th of April 2026, about 450 students of the Europagymnasium Auhof attended a panel discussion at the Pädagogische Hochschule Upper Austria, Linz.
The discussion centred around a pressing question: “How authoritarian should Austria be?” Exploring themes of democracy, decision-making, and political leadership, the topic could hardly have been more relevant in today’s political climate.
Representatives of all five parties currently seated in the Austrian National Council (Nationalrat) took part in the debate. The Greens were represented by Sigrid Maurer, NEOS by Felix Eypeltauer, the SPÖ by Robert Laimer, the ÖVP by Johanna Jachs, and the FPÖ by Michael Fürtbauer.
Having voices from across the entire political spectrum in one room gave students a rare chance to hear directly from elected politicians and engage with real democratic debate.
The event was organised by students of WPG 8, the 8th year elective course, together with the student council (Schülervertretung). A special thank you also goes to history and political science teacher Bettina Steinhauser, whose support and dedication were essential in bringing this event to life for the whole school.
Oliver Kim (teacher)
