New Book: First Lady Doris Schmidauer on Kreisky, AI, and Feminism in the Hofburg

In her book, Doris Schmidauer, wife of Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen, delves deeply into women's political issues. She also provides insights into her own interpretation of a role that officially does not exist. Alongside political reflections, she introduces women who particularly impress her.

However, there are hardly any deeper insights into the life of the "First Couple." Schmidauer only reveals personal details sporadically – for instance, when she mentions that her husband "Sascha" cannot cook or that in the supermarket, people asked about the Federal President because of the "handsome bodyguards." More space is given to her role as an advisor to Van der Bellen. For example, she is said to have encouraged him to consider Brigitte Bierlein as interim chancellor after the Ibiza affair.

Schmidauer's "First Political Crush" - Bruno Kreisky

Schmidauer's engagement with feminist issues began during her school years when she first read feminist magazines. She also encountered women's political conflicts within her family – such as discussions with her father, who did not allow her mother to work. Her "first political crush" was SPÖ Chancellor Bruno Kreisky, whose poster she hung in her childhood room.

After the Greens left the National Council in 2017, Schmidauer lost her position as managing director of the parliamentary club. She then focused more on her role as First Lady – or, as she calls it, "First Volunteer." She sees this honorary position as an opportunity to actively set sociopolitical accents. She is particularly committed to networking women, including with the Mayor's Initiative and the program She goes digital, which aims to open up professional perspectives in digitalization for girls and women.

Book Highlights Sexist AI, Women's Poverty, and Inspiring Women

The title of the book refers to the national anthem rewritten in 2012, which now includes women. In terms of content, Schmidauer addresses numerous sociopolitical issues: the gender pay gap, women's poverty, violence against women, gender stereotypes, and even potentially sexist artificial intelligence. Despite this thematic diversity, it mostly remains a brief assessment.

Schmidauer links her reflections with personal experiences and the stories of other women. She tells of astronaut Carmen Possnig or innkeeper Hermine Hanke, who successfully fought for the return of her deported apprentice from Pakistan. The idea for the book came from a publisher, after which Schmidauer decided to focus not only on her own experiences but also on other women.

(APA/Red)

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