Erstellt am: 27. 9. 2012 - 14:24 Uhr

A Winning Team?

Reality Check: Stronach presents his new party, but how much will it change the Austrian political landscape? Romney's campaign; Greek woes continue; "See you soon again" film.

• Team Stronach

The time is ripe for the birth of a new party on the Austrian political landscape. It’s “probably the best time ever in post-war Austrian history for creating a new party”, according to Reinhard Heinisch, head of the department of Politics at the University of Salzburg. There is much dissatisfaction, not just with the existing political parties, but also with the predominant form of government – a coalition. “Many people associate this particular government formation with gridlock and stalemate”, says Heinisch.

So it’s not surprising that there was an unusually large media presence at the Orangerie in Schönbrunn this morning to witness billionaire Frank Stronach officially present his new political party. But journalists hungry for concrete details on what “Team Stronach” is all about were left unsatisfied. No new team members were named, and those who have already joined the team were left standing in the wings. A few policy points were talked about in response to questions, but the general line on the manifesto was “bitte warten” – until April next year. Information about the party statutes was handed out in the form of a USB stick, but for several hours after the stated announcment time of 12 noon, the Team Stronach website remained empty apart from the name banner and the message “in Kürze für Österreich”.

Team Stronach is still an unknown quantity, but people have already formed opinions. According to a poll published in der Standard, 40 percent of voters are in favour of a role in government for Stronach’s new party, and 58 percent of Austrians reckon they know what Stronach’s aims are. We asked Reinhard Heinisch just how much Team Stronach will change the Austrian political landscape, and heard from FM4 reporter Lukas Tagwerker who was at the press conference:

• The Debates

Time in running out for Mitt Romney to gain the ground that he needs to win the Whitehouse. Republicans are pinning their hopes on the debates, the first of which begins next week. US journalist and political analyst Steven Hill looks at where things currently stand with the campaigning and preparation for the TV debates.

• Greece

With new austerity measures being imposed on Greece and Spain, two of the euro zone's most vulnerable economies, we go to Athens to hear about the latest strikes there and the protesters on the streets.

• See you again soon

For decades Leo Bretholz has been relating his story of escaping the Holocaust to students in Baltimore schools. But the movie "See you soon again" traces his relationship with the students and the rather unique connection that this 90 year old holocaust survior builds with them.

Listen to the programme after the show via Podcast.