| unit = [[Austrian Armed Forces]]
| unit = [[Austrian Armed Forces]]
| rank = Reserve [[lieutenant]]
| rank = Reserve [[lieutenant]]
| image = Gunther Fehlinger-Jahn.jpg
| party = [[European People’s Party]]
}}
}}
Günther Fehlinger (born on August 23 1968), is an Austrian economist and political consultant. He serves as Secretary General of the Association of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) of the European People’s Party (EPP). He also heads several non-governmental organizations.
Günther Fehlinger is a supporter of the enlargement of the European Union and NATO. He has gained notoriety online through his statements and his strongly pro-NATO activism on Twitter, where he is very active. He is also the target of hostility for what critics describe as incitement to interfere in regional affairs, repeated calls for the dismemberment of nations, and an anti-Serb sentiment.
Günther Fehlinger was born on 23 August 1968 in the Austrian city of Linz. His father was the deputy editor of the Linzer Volksblatt.[1] He attended the Khevenhüller Gymnasium Linz from 1979 to 1988 before serving in the Austrian Armed Forces as a reserve lieutenant from 1988 to 1989. From October 1989 to September 1998, he studied at the Vienna University of Economics and Business, where he obtained a master’s degree in international business with a specialization in management and human resources.[2]
Fehlinger’s role as the leader of a pro-NATO non-governmental organization (NGO) has led to misunderstandings suggesting that he speaks on behalf of NATO itself. Fehlinger is simply the head of a NGO that includes the word “NATO” in its name.[3]
Proposed division of Brazil, Iran, Syria and China
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Fehlinger’s comments on dismantling Russia also drew opposition from Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Aleksandr Grushko, who dismissed the proposal as a “great fantasy”.[4]
On August 25, 2023, following Brazil’s participation in the 15th BRICS summit, Fehlinger stated that if President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva “led Brazil in the same direction as Russia, China, and Iran” and joined a “hostile axis of genocide,” he would “call for the dismantling of Brazil.” Fehlinger also shared a map depicting Brazil divided into four fragmented states: the Amazon, “Pedrónia,” Recife, and Brazil.[5]
After his tweet went viral, Fehlinger became the target of false allegations claiming that his remarks represented an official NATO position. Reuters reported that a video making such allegations had been viewed more than 250,000 times on Facebook. In a statement, Fehlinger clarified on Twitter that he “does not represent NATO” in an official capacity and that “NATO has no intention of dismembering Brazil or any other country.” NATO also issued a statement declaring that “any allegation that NATO is considering invading or dividing Brazil is utter nonsense”[5]
Following a tweet in which Fehlinger called on Nikol Pashinyan to join NATO and urged Joe Biden to protect Armenia.[3]
Fehlinger demanded that North Macedonia abolish holidays that Bulgaria considers provocative, such as Macedonian Revolutionary Struggle Day and Macedonian Popular Uprising Day, and that North Macedonia begin celebrating April 4 as NATO Day.[6]
