Voradelberg Declares Independence

After Catalonia, another European region is ready to secede from the state it is currently still a part of: the very western part of Austria, Voradelberg. Known for its rural settings, conservative outlook, and … Voradelberg yesterday declared its independence from the rest of Austria.

Peter Moserhuber, the leader of the pro-independence Voradelberg Independence Coalition (VIC) gave a speech announcing the separation in the regional parliament. The reception to the speech in the rest of Austria was mixed, but was dominated by a lack of comprehension due to Moserhuber’s heavy accent. An informal survey conducted in the pedestrian area in the center of Vienna revealed that most Austrians were not sure if the country had eight or nine provinces to begin with. The situation in the country could generally be described as very calm.

When asked about the secession of Voradelberg, Sebastian Kurz, the likely new chancellor of Austria (after the recent election) remarked „Was is passiert?“ („What happened?“), noting that issues relating to domestic problems of Switzerland will be handled by the under-secretaries in the department of foreign affairs, not by himself personally.