The world of Austrian Catholic associations makes its decisions known, in the run-up to the second ballot for the presidency of the Republic on Sunday 22nd May, saying their favourite nominee is Alexander Van der Bellen of the Green Party, the opponent of the nominee of the Freedom Party (FpÖ), Norbert Hofer. After a statement made yesterday by the spokesperson of FpÖ, Carmen Gartelgruber, who said that Catholic women would have voted for Hofer, today Veronika Pernsteiner, president of the Austrian Catholic Women’s Movement (KfbÖ), confirmed that no names had been made for the election and spoke of an “incorrect statement and a serious case of manipulation”, and suggested voting instead for Alexander van der Bellen. “Democracy with no ifs and buts”, this is the express request of the Austrian Catholic Academic Association (KavÖ): its president, Anna Nöst, mentioned the Pope’s call at the Charlemagne Prize for active participation in the development of an integrated, reconciled society; one should not just “look at other people’s fights, and for KavÖ not choosing is not an option, therefore, and we had to consider which nominee would be the embodiment of humanism, democracy and human rights”. “Which nominee can represent us?”: for Nöst, the answer is the Green Party’s nominee. According to Sara Dallinger, president of Catholic Action Youth (KjsÖ), “right now Austria needs people who act with vision and who build bridges, in an atmosphere of international solidarity”.