Matthias Strolz: 'Party politics in Austria is a puppet show'

Matthias Strolz, founder of the Austrian liberal party Neos, has shared his thoughts on a range of contemporary issues in a podcast interview, including the rapid advancements in artificial intelligence and the internal politics of his former party.

Strolz addressed the expulsion of Veit Dengler, a co-founder of Neos, expressing agreement with Dengler's policy positions while criticizing the manner of his removal from the party. Reflecting on his own departure from Neos eight years prior, Strolz also touched upon his public persona as an "environmentalist," a label he now addresses in his new book.

The discussion also delved into the potential implications of artificial intelligence, with Strolz drawing parallels to Yuval Noah Harari's 'Homo Deus.' He weighed the opportunities and threats posed by AI to humanity. Additionally, Strolz shared his stance on a proposed social media ban for children and adolescents, a topic of growing concern in many countries.

The podcast, titled 'Was wichtig ist' (What Matters), features Strolz in conversation with Anna Wallner and Rosa Schmidt-Vierthaler, offering listeners a deeper dive into current events and Strolz's perspectives beyond the headlines. The episode is part of a series from the Austrian daily newspaper 'Die Presse.'