“In a place where antisemitism appears, it leads to changes in society such as racism, xenophobia, anti-democratic tendencies, as well as the call for the appearance of a strong person,” said Wolfgang Sobotka, president of the National Council, stressing the importance and significance of the 2018 study on antisemitism, which was presented today during a press conference. It is argued that in Europe as well the face of society changed in 2015, antisemitism still exists latently, and Austria cannot be considered as an island of happiness. “Antisemitism touches us all,” says the President of the National Council.
Data from the studies confirm, based upon available documentation, that overt antisemitism is reflected in a relative portion of the population of approximately 10%, and is expressed above all in the forms of racist antisemitism and Holocaust denial. In addition, there are indications of latent antisemitism at a rate of approximately 30%, above all in the following areas: traditional antisemitism, antisemitism with reference to Israel and secondary antisemitism, said Eva Zeglowicz of the Institute for Empirical Social Research (IFES). An alarming antisemitic potential is exposed according to the existing results among the Arabic and Turkish speakers who have been living in Austria for quite a long time.
The study, commissioned by the President of the National Council, was performed by a professional work community guided by the Institute for Empirical Social Research. Together with Sobotka, they clarified the results and conclusions of the research coordinator, Thomas Stern and Eva Zeglowicz.
