Today in Austria: A roundup of the latest news on Thursday
Far-right criticises Pride Month celebrations, Austria misses the target for better childcare, cars of street racers will be confiscated and auctioned and more news from Austria on Thursday.
Far-right criticises Pride Month celebrations
Far-right FPÖ leader Herbert Kickl has written an open letter accusing National Council President Wolfgang Sobotka (ÖVP) of using the parliament building for what he considers to be staged events "of a very special kind".
Kickl specifically takes issue with the illumination of the parliament in rainbow colours during Pride Month in June—the letter strongly protests against this decision on behalf of the Freedom Party Parliamentary Club.
Austria's far-right party is currently leading the voting intention polls for the federal elections set to take place in Autumn 2024.
Kickl also mentioned that participating in Pride Month would "inevitably express solidarity with other actions". He cited "performances of transvestites (drag queens) with clearly sexually motivated stage names in front of children" or "marches of naked and sexually suggestive people".
The head of the far-right party added he believed that most Austrians do not want to be associated with "these actions". He called for an immediate cessation of the elected representatives' participation in what he views as a "highly dubious propaganda action". According to Kickl, Parliament should represent all citizens and not serve as a megaphone for a vocal minority.
READ ALSO: Vienna Pride 2023
Is Austria set for a summer of heatwaves and storms?
The summer of 2022 showed what days can be like on a planet with extreme weather - it was the hottest European summer on record by far, and even people in Austria had to deal with several heatwaves, the first of which brought temperatures above 30C already by mid-June, as The Local reported.
Thermometers continued to rise in July and August, and it was extreme also when it came to rain: while in some regions, the storms were so violent that people ended up dying after trees were uprooted, the drought and extreme heat dried up lakes and rivers raising fears of a water shortage crisis.
So, what is going to happen in 2023? Are we heading to another summer of extremes?
Austria misses the target for better childcare
Austria's childcare rate has faced renewed criticism, particularly regarding its failure to meet the targets set by the Council of the EU, the newspaper Der Standard reported.
The EU's Barcelona targets state that by 2030, 45 percent of children under the age of three should be enrolled in early childhood care, education, and upbringing. Austria, which has yet to achieve the previous target of 33 percent, now has a lower target of 31.9 percent, as announced by the Ministry of Education. In response, the Chamber of Labor and the trade union are urging the government to take action.
Specific targets are set for member states that still need to meet the 2002 rates. For countries with a childcare rate between 20 and 33 percent from 2017 to 2021, including Austria, the goal is to increase the rate by at least 45 percent.
However, Austria measures participation in early childhood care using daycare statistics. According to Statistics Austria, the childcare rate for children under three in 2021/22 was 29.1 percent nationwide, while for three- to under-six-year-olds, it was 94.1 percent. In 2002, the Council recommended a 90 percent childcare rate for children between three and the statutory school enrollment age by 2010.
At the end of 2022, a target of 96 percent was set for 2030.
The Austrian Federation of Trade Unions (ÖGB) and the Chamber of Labor (AK) have criticised the situation. ÖGB Women's Chair Korinna Schumann, who is also an SPÖ Federal Councilor, recently criticised the government on "Ö1" radio, stating that only Vienna and Burgenland meet the Barcelona target of 33 percent. She emphasised the need for swift action to ensure women have freedom of choice in childcare.
The ÖGB calls for an annual investment of €1 billion in kindergartens and a legal right to childcare. AK President Renate Anderl expressed disappointment that Austria had fallen short of the new target and now aims for a quota of only 31.9 percent.
READ ALSO: ‘Better and cheaper’: What foreigners really think about childcare in Austria
Cars of street racers will be confiscated and auctioned in the future
In December, Environment Minister Leonore Gewessler (Greens) announced a new speeding package, which has now been finalised and is ready for implementation.
The measures specifically target repeat offenders and "reckless speeders." Gewessler noted that there have already been stricter measures regarding speeding in recent months. In extreme cases, the police plan to confiscate vehicles. The new rules are set to be implemented in March 2024.
Under the new regulations, exceeding the speed limit by 60 km/h in urban areas or 70 km/h outside of urban areas can temporarily confiscate the vehicle. If a driver speeds at 110 km/h in a city, 170 km/h on country roads, or 200 km/h on highways, the police may seize the car. "That's life-threatening. That's what we have to stop," Gewessler said.
Starting in October, drivers who commit severe speeding offences may also have their driver's licenses confiscated on the spot.
In cases of repeated speeding or severe offences, the authorities will consider not only a temporary two-week seizure of the vehicle but also its auction. If individuals completely disregard the rules and repeatedly drive at grossly excessive speeds, permanent removal of the vehicle could be considered after the confiscation process concludes. Each case will be evaluated individually by the authorities.
Seventy percent of the proceeds from the vehicle auctions will be reinvested in road safety measures, while local authorities will receive 30 percent. The aim is to address conscious decisions to engage in extreme speeding rather than one-time mistakes or occasional instances of driving too fast, as the minister emphasised.
If the vehicle used for the speeding offence does not belong to the driver, a driving ban will be imposed instead of confiscation. This means the driver will be permanently prohibited from using the specific vehicle. This restriction also applies to vehicle owners, who are not permitted to provide the car to the individual in question.
READ ALSO: Austria to seize cars from illegal road racers
If you have any questions about life in Austria, ideas for articles or news tips for The Local, please get in touch with us at [email protected].
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Far-right criticises Pride Month celebrations
Far-right FPÖ leader Herbert Kickl has written an open letter accusing National Council President Wolfgang Sobotka (ÖVP) of using the parliament building for what he considers to be staged events "of a very special kind".
Kickl specifically takes issue with the illumination of the parliament in rainbow colours during Pride Month in June—the letter strongly protests against this decision on behalf of the Freedom Party Parliamentary Club.
Austria's far-right party is currently leading the voting intention polls for the federal elections set to take place in Autumn 2024.
Kickl also mentioned that participating in Pride Month would "inevitably express solidarity with other actions". He cited "performances of transvestites (drag queens) with clearly sexually motivated stage names in front of children" or "marches of naked and sexually suggestive people".
The head of the far-right party added he believed that most Austrians do not want to be associated with "these actions". He called for an immediate cessation of the elected representatives' participation in what he views as a "highly dubious propaganda action". According to Kickl, Parliament should represent all citizens and not serve as a megaphone for a vocal minority.
READ ALSO: Vienna Pride 2023
Is Austria set for a summer of heatwaves and storms?
The summer of 2022 showed what days can be like on a planet with extreme weather - it was the hottest European summer on record by far, and even people in Austria had to deal with several heatwaves, the first of which brought temperatures above 30C already by mid-June, as The Local reported.
Thermometers continued to rise in July and August, and it was extreme also when it came to rain: while in some regions, the storms were so violent that people ended up dying after trees were uprooted, the drought and extreme heat dried up lakes and rivers raising fears of a water shortage crisis.
So, what is going to happen in 2023? Are we heading to another summer of extremes?
Austria misses the target for better childcare
Austria's childcare rate has faced renewed criticism, particularly regarding its failure to meet the targets set by the Council of the EU, the newspaper Der Standard reported.
The EU's Barcelona targets state that by 2030, 45 percent of children under the age of three should be enrolled in early childhood care, education, and upbringing. Austria, which has yet to achieve the previous target of 33 percent, now has a lower target of 31.9 percent, as announced by the Ministry of Education. In response, the Chamber of Labor and the trade union are urging the government to take action.
Specific targets are set for member states that still need to meet the 2002 rates. For countries with a childcare rate between 20 and 33 percent from 2017 to 2021, including Austria, the goal is to increase the rate by at least 45 percent.
However, Austria measures participation in early childhood care using daycare statistics. According to Statistics Austria, the childcare rate for children under three in 2021/22 was 29.1 percent nationwide, while for three- to under-six-year-olds, it was 94.1 percent. In 2002, the Council recommended a 90 percent childcare rate for children between three and the statutory school enrollment age by 2010.
At the end of 2022, a target of 96 percent was set for 2030.
The Austrian Federation of Trade Unions (ÖGB) and the Chamber of Labor (AK) have criticised the situation. ÖGB Women's Chair Korinna Schumann, who is also an SPÖ Federal Councilor, recently criticised the government on "Ö1" radio, stating that only Vienna and Burgenland meet the Barcelona target of 33 percent. She emphasised the need for swift action to ensure women have freedom of choice in childcare.
The ÖGB calls for an annual investment of €1 billion in kindergartens and a legal right to childcare. AK President Renate Anderl expressed disappointment that Austria had fallen short of the new target and now aims for a quota of only 31.9 percent.
READ ALSO: ‘Better and cheaper’: What foreigners really think about childcare in Austria
Cars of street racers will be confiscated and auctioned in the future
In December, Environment Minister Leonore Gewessler (Greens) announced a new speeding package, which has now been finalised and is ready for implementation.
The measures specifically target repeat offenders and "reckless speeders." Gewessler noted that there have already been stricter measures regarding speeding in recent months. In extreme cases, the police plan to confiscate vehicles. The new rules are set to be implemented in March 2024.
Under the new regulations, exceeding the speed limit by 60 km/h in urban areas or 70 km/h outside of urban areas can temporarily confiscate the vehicle. If a driver speeds at 110 km/h in a city, 170 km/h on country roads, or 200 km/h on highways, the police may seize the car. "That's life-threatening. That's what we have to stop," Gewessler said.
Starting in October, drivers who commit severe speeding offences may also have their driver's licenses confiscated on the spot.
In cases of repeated speeding or severe offences, the authorities will consider not only a temporary two-week seizure of the vehicle but also its auction. If individuals completely disregard the rules and repeatedly drive at grossly excessive speeds, permanent removal of the vehicle could be considered after the confiscation process concludes. Each case will be evaluated individually by the authorities.
Seventy percent of the proceeds from the vehicle auctions will be reinvested in road safety measures, while local authorities will receive 30 percent. The aim is to address conscious decisions to engage in extreme speeding rather than one-time mistakes or occasional instances of driving too fast, as the minister emphasised.
If the vehicle used for the speeding offence does not belong to the driver, a driving ban will be imposed instead of confiscation. This means the driver will be permanently prohibited from using the specific vehicle. This restriction also applies to vehicle owners, who are not permitted to provide the car to the individual in question.
READ ALSO: Austria to seize cars from illegal road racers
If you have any questions about life in Austria, ideas for articles or news tips for The Local, please get in touch with us at [email protected].
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