People, especially families who do not earn enough money - or cannot find jobs - are supported by the state in many ways, from cash benefits to subsidy rents. Austrians and foreigners are entitled to this assistance, but the topic can touch nerves, particularly in election years.
In Vienna, where low-income families receive cash assistance for adults and then each child they have—the same amount regardless of whether it's the first or eight children—the total amount of money a large family can receive can be pretty high. It seems like this becomes a matter of debate every election year, especially with right-wing parties (the opposition in the Austrian capital) criticising the payments.
In 2024, things got even more heated, primarily because of the political and economic situation in Austria. On the one hand, the country is seeing a rise in the far right and its discourses against immigration and asylum policies. On the other hand, Austria has fared poorly regarding the succession of crises, from coronavirus to inflation, and the population is fed up. This is all connected, of course, and makes for a perfect context for debates on the states' assistance to non-Austrians, particularly refugees.
So, what is happening this time?
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€4,600 to a single family in Vienna
This year, it all started when Austrian tabloid media "uncovered" a case of a Syrian family of nine in Vienna. With all subsidies and government assistance they are entitled to, they receive € 4,600 a month.
The family receives €809.09 per adult plus €51.01 per child, plus €312.08 per child in other subsidies. They are entitled to this for six children. In addition, they receive a €1,000 rent allowance, for a total of around €4,600.
In other federal states, the family would receive significantly less. In Lower Austria, for example, the first child receives around €289, with entitlements decreasing for each additional child.
The criticism has been loud.
The far-right Freedom Party reacted promptly: while Austrians are suffering from rising prices, "asylum seekers receive €4,600 a month for doing nothing", wrote FPÖ leader Herbert Kickl on Facebook.
READ ALSO: The tax benefits that parents and families receive in Austria
Integration Minister Susanne Raab (ÖVP) supports a five-year waiting period before being entitled to social assistance. She also considers Vienna's "support policy" excessive. "The level of social benefits in Vienna hinders successful integration," she said.
The Neos are using the occasion to call for a "comprehensive reform of the social system". "We want social benefits to always include a motivation to stand on their own two feet again and for immigrants to contribute to our society as quickly as possible: by respecting our values, by speaking our language and by working and paying taxes," said Neos deputy leader Nikolaus Scherak.
In concrete terms, the Neos party put forward five points the reform should include: a quick work permit for immigrants "especially in shortage occupations"; the conversion of social benefits to benefits in kind; the merging of unemployment assistance and social welfare into a joint system; uniform regulation of minimum income throughout Austria; and "teaching values and rules" from kindergarten onwards.
The Greens are convinced that reforming the minimum benefit system should introduce minimum limits instead of maximum limits.
"Far more sensible than talking about how the social safety net can be cut further would be to create sufficient support services such as training and further education as well as care services to get people out of the minimum benefit system and into employment as quickly as possible," said Markus Koza, the Greens' social spokesperson.
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FPÖ leader Herbert Kickl and Vienna's FPÖ leader Dominik Nepp advocated that social welfare should only be paid to Austrian citizens. "This is not about envy, and it's not about Austrians versus migrants; it's about justice," said Nepp, who will run for Vienna mayor in 2025. I don't know of any job where you get paid more just because you have more children."
'Summer debate'
For the centre-left SPÖ, which runs Vienna, the current debate is a "summer" debate to fill the usually dull and uneventful summer months.
"We are not taking part in a summer slump debate in which extreme cases are singled out to create a mood against poor people", SPÖ leader Andreas Babler said.
The party's Vienna faction reiterated the relevance of the capital model of social welfare. "I don't want people in our city to live in existential fear," said City Councillor Peter Hacker in a televised ZiB 1 interview.
READ ALSO: How Austria’s centre-left SPÖ party plans to change integration policy
In addition, there are "sanctions" for those who misunderstand "solidarity as a one-way street. "Solidarity is not a one-way street. It's not a carte blanche, but it is also linked to doing your duty. That's why we also make sure that people come to work."
He also mentioned that the singled-out cases are exceptional ones. According to the town hall, 120 families with seven children are in the city. Only 13 of these receive the benefits. Additionally, the Volkshilfe association pointed out that the threshold to be considered at risk of poverty for a family of nine in Vienna would be around € 6,600.
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