Austria elections – misplaced hopes for clarity

Austria is holding a key snap election on October 15^th with polls surging for the young Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz; falling for Chancellor Christian Kern; and anxieties about the far-right HC Strache’s hopes for the top seat – the last is a particular worry since a far-righter nearly made it to the (largely ceremonial) presidency in a recent election.

Kurz, 27 August 1986, is campaigning on tax cuts and immigration curbs. He is a Sun Virgo sextile Pluto, square Saturn, trine Neptune and is on a roll this year and next with tr Pluto sextile his Jupiter in Pisces and square his Solar Arc Jupiter. He does have tr Jupiter conjunct his focal point Pluto from early November, which all looks hopeful. But he’s got a disappointing tr Neptune square his Sun/Jupiter; and tr Uranus square his Jupiter/Saturn over the election which usually don’t augur well.

Christian Kern, 4 Jan 1966, is a Sun Capricorn sextile Saturn and trine Uranus Pluto; with an expansive Mercury in Sagittarius opposition Jupiter. His chart is the usual election muddle of good and bad. Tr Pluto square his Mars/Jupiter midpoint could suggest a win, but he’s in a generally lack-lustre year with Solar Arc Neptune conjunct his Sun; and tr Neptune conjunct his Saturn. Tr Uranus is in an insecure square to his Sun/Mars at the election and there’s a downbeat tr Saturn opposition his Jupiter, dampening his enthusiasm and confidence, in the days after the election.

HC Strache, of the Freedom Party, a one-time supporter of pro-Nazi Jorg Haider, 12 June 1969, is a Sun Gemini square a pushily-confident Pluto Jupiter Uranus in Virgo. Tr Saturn is opposing his Sun and square his Pluto from now till the election, and square Jupiter Uranus in the aftermath, none of which look good for him. He has some minorly positive influences on the exact date, but more negative ones thereafter.

Austria, 12 Nov 1918 4pm, looks thoroughly confused this year with the Solar Arc Neptune conjunct the Sun, now until the end of 2017. Support for the two main parties, who have alternated in power over recent decades, is sinking, as it is elsewhere (Pluto in Capricorn deconstructing old ruling systems again). The economy is growing with the integration of Central and Eastern European countries into the EU benefiting Austria more than other countries.

But the Austria/EU relationship is fractious at best and sagging through 2017 to 2020 with tr Neptune square the composite Sun, Mercury, Mars; and there’ll be upheavals and disruptions in 2018; with huge discouragement in 2019/2020.

If the start time for Austria is accurate then tr Pluto will conjunct the MC from early 2018, which does suggest a challenging period ahead, where government is concerned, with the old order further collapsing.

The Bank of Austria chart, 1 June 1816, is less undermined than it has been in recent years, though problems pick up in 2019/2020 with what looks perilously like a crash.

Add on: There’s another chart for Austria – 15 May 1955 11.30am Vienna, when it was re-established as a sovereign state. Both will have a validity though the earlier ones usually work best.

Like the earlier chart it is overwhelmingly Fixed with Pluto on a Leo Ascendant opposition Aquarius Moon Descendant square Saturn IC opposition a Taurus Sun MC. So change comes only very slowly against great resistance. There’s also an Air Grand Trine of Moon trine Neptune trine Mars in Gemini, formed into a Kite by Moon opposition Pluto – so again tremendous endurance though not much adaptability. Influences are mixed ahead with a constructive tr Pluto trine MC in 2017/18; and heading for a Solar Arc Sun conjunct Uranus Jupiter after mid 2018 which will bring a morale boost and a few surprises. But there’s also in late 2018 and 2019 a major shock and dead-halt from Solar Arc Mars square Sun and then conjunct Pluto. The latter much like the Bank of Austria. And the relationship with the EU is sagging badly on this chart as well right through till 2020.