National Council Debates Social Assistance and Housing Construction Before Vienna Election

The Vienna election has reached the National Council. The FPÖ used the "Current Hour" it organized during Thursday's session to mainly criticize Vienna's social welfare as a "social hammock for illegal immigrants and asylum seekers." The SPÖ, on the other hand, promoted social housing in the federal capital during the "Current European Hour." Vienna is an absolute model city in social housing, advocated Vice Chancellor Andreas Babler.

The session began with a minute of silence for the deceased head of the Pensioners' Association Peter Kostelka (SPÖ) and for Pope Francis. Immediately afterward, tensions rose during the "Current Hour." FPÖ representative Dagmar Belakowitsch reported on people from the Arab region who would not work and only come to Austria "to cash in." The working population, which supports the welfare state, would have to bear the brunt when it comes to cuts. Meanwhile, budget figures would explode, and unemployment would rise month by month. In Vienna, there would be an opportunity for change in the election on Sunday, she concluded by advocating a vote for the FPÖ.

Social Welfare "At the Top of the Agenda"

The government would be working on improvements, said Schumann. After all, the government program includes a "NEW Social Welfare" that should be uniform nationwide. The goal is for employable people to find work again as quickly as possible. ÖVP representative Michael Hammer emphasized that social welfare is "at the top of the agenda." Those who do not want to work must be sanctioned.

The average duration of benefits would be nine months, according to Schumann. She also noted that asylum seekers are excluded from social welfare; they only receive basic care. However, those entitled to asylum have access to it, but they must be available to the labor market and complete integration measures.

With "owei owei owei, it's election campaign time," Markus Koza (Greens) commented on the debate. Social welfare is certainly not a social hammock, he said, referring to the composition of social welfare recipients. Two-thirds are either too old, too young, or too sick to work or are already employed.

Criticism of FPÖ Criticism

The system criticized by the FPÖ was introduced under the Freedom Party's Social Minister Beate Hartinger-Klein, Hammer accused the now opposition party. SPÖ club chairman Philip Kucher and NEOS club chairman Yannick Shetty criticized the Freedom Party for their expense scandal. There is a "list of investigations" against FPÖ politicians who have set up a golden hammock for themselves, said Shetty. After all, former party leader Heinz-Christian Strache and his then environment are suspected of having financed private expenses with party funds.

Vienna Election Shaped "Current Hours" in the National Council

In the "Current European Hour," there was still plenty of room for Vienna election advertising. The SPÖ, which had set the topic, sent speaker after speaker to the podium to promote the benefits of non-profit housing in Vienna and to praise the halt of rent increases in regulated housing. Deputy club chairwoman Julia Herr emphasized that this had saved tenants hundreds of euros. Anyway, tenants in Vienna would only pay half of what people in comparable European cities pay.

60 percent of Vienna's citizens lived in subsidized apartments, praised Vice Chancellor Babler. This was unique worldwide, Herr rejoiced.

One should actually display an "infomercial" insert during the ORF broadcast, said Green Party MP Nina Tomaselli about the red presentations. She also couldn't relate to the content: "The red veneer is gone." Vienna was "no longer the island of blissful housing," she pointed to high square meter prices. Moreover, there were not even surveys on vacancies, let alone a corresponding levy.

FPÖ Criticizes Condition of Municipal Buildings

The FPÖ also did not want to leave the red self-praise unchallenged. Nothing was in order, two-thirds of the municipal apartments were in dire need of renovation, declared the Freedom Party's EU delegate Harald Vilimsky. In addition, people were being deprived of their homeland: "If you're not a Talahon or Taliban, you probably won't get a municipal apartment at all anymore."

ÖVP and NEOS stayed out of this conflict. From the People's Party, MP Norbert Sieber advocated for strengthening non-profit building associations, which made a decisive contribution to social balance. NEOS EU delegate Anna Stürgkh focused on a European energy union. Because in this way, the prices for electricity and gas in the apartments could also be reduced.

(APA/Red)

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