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Coronavirus in Austria: Live-Ticker
On this website you can find information and guidance from Vindobona.org regarding the current outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Austria. Vindobona.org is being informed by local Austrian and global health authorities to rapidly disseminate information and knowledge on this new virus, and to provide advice to travellers and expats on measures to protect health and prevent the spread of this outbreak. Please visit this page for daily updates.
8 hours ago · Updated: 3 hours ago; 15:55
Italy-Austria: Coronavirus Emergency Measure Caused Chaos and Panic
A false coronavirus alarm paralysed train traffic between Italy, Austria and Germany. Meanwhile the far right Freedom Party demands that the National Security Council should discuss the situation and that travel to Austria from the affected regions should be restricted.
February 24, 2020 · Updated: February 24, 2020; 11:57
Austria's Blockade of the Libya Mission "Sophia"
The EU foreign ministers have reached a basic consensus for a military mission to monitor the UN arms embargo on Libya. The EU naval operation "Sophia" in the Mediterranean Sea off Libya, however, will be terminated, Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg said in a statement after the Foreign Affairs Council meeting.
February 18, 2020
Election 2019: Five Parties Make Their Entry into the Austrian National Council
Five political parties will be represented in the newly elected Austrian National Council. In addition to ÖVP, SPÖ, FPÖ and NEOS, the Greens - after a two-year forced break - have also rejoined the House. The Liste JETZT, on the other hand, failed, as did the other small parties, at the 4% hurdle.
October 4, 2019
Government Formation: Party Leaders in the Presidential Chancellery
Next Monday, Federal President Van der Bellen will commission ÖVP leader Kurz to form a government.
October 2, 2019 · Updated: October 4, 2019; 13:03
Austria's Great Labour Unionist Rudolf Hundstorfer Deceased
The former head of the Austrian Federation of Trade Unions (ÖGB) and social minister Rudolf Hundstorfer died at the age of 68 on holiday in Croatia due to a heart attack.
August 20, 2019
Vienna's City History: Red Vienna from 1919 to 1934
Vienna’s first free municipal election, held in May 1919, results in an absolute majority for the SPÖ - Social Democratic Party (at that time SDAPDÖ - Sozialdemokratische Arbeiterpartei Deutschösterreichs). A reform project commences. The goal is a far reaching democratization of society as well as the dramatic improvement of workers‘ living conditions. A revolutionary fiscal policy, built around a luxury tax, provides funding for the creation of over 60,000 apartments along with numerous social, leisure, and cultural facilities by 1934.
July 9, 2019
Paternity Leave Entitlement Decided by Parliament
Members of the Austrian National Council passed a resolution on the legal entitlement to Paternity Leave (Papamonat). Fathers now have the right to be granted time off. Changes have also been made to child benefit legislation.
July 5, 2019
Total Ban on Glyphosate in Austria Adopted
Austria is the first country in the European Union to ban the use of the controversial weedkiller glyphosate. The ban is legally controversial and could contradict EU law.
July 4, 2019
Criticism of the Lack of Foreign and European Policy Reports
The opposition, represented by Andreas Schieder (SPÖ), criticises the fact that for the last three years the Foreign Ministers Kurz and Kneissel have not submitted any annual Foreign and European Policy Reports for the purpose of reporting on fundamental foreign policy issues.
June 3, 2019
European Elections 2019: Austrian Preliminary Final Results
The preliminary result of the 2019 European elections (without absentee ballot) has been announced. The Austrian People's Party won clearly ahead of the Austrian Socialist Party (SPÖ) and the Austrian Freedom Party (FPÖ). The Greens and NEOS followed in places 4 to 5. Votes cast by absentee ballot are not yet included in this result. The turnout without postal votes was 50.6%. In Vienna, the turnout including postal votes was 58.71%.
May 27, 2019
Austrian Government Dismissed: National Council Denies Government Confidence
The parliamentary motion of no confidence of the Social Democrats (SPÖ) was supported by the right-wing populist Freedom Party (FPÖ) and the Liste Jetzt. The majority of the members of the National Council thus expressed their distrust of Chancellor Kurz's government and removed it from office.
May 27, 2019
Austria's Government Faces Expected Motion of No Confidence
After the victory in the election to the European Parliament, Chancellor Sebastian Kurz and his government are threatened with an abrupt end. The Social Democrats (SPÖ) will table their own motion of censure against the entire Kurz cabinet. A clear decision by the Freedom Party (FPÖ) is still pending.
May 27, 2019
European Elections - Who Stands for Election and How Can a Non-Austrian EU Citizen Vote in Austria?
After the political earthquake in Austria and the end of the turquoise-blue government, the EU election on Sunday is eagerly awaited. A decision will be made on 18 EU mandates from Austria. In European elections, EU citizens are entitled to vote in Austria as long as they are registered in the European electoral register.
May 24, 2019
Chancellor Sticks to Dismissal of Interior Minister - FPÖ Ministers Exit Government
Government crisis. Chancellor Kurz sticks to dismissal of interior minister. Right-wing populist FPÖ ministers leave government.
May 20, 2019
Standardised Austria-wide Autumn Holidays as of 2020/21
From the school year 2020/21 there will be uniform autumn holidays in Austria between National Day and All Saints Day - from 27 to 31 October - according to the unanimous decision of the Austrian National Council. There will be no additional school holidays, the teaching time will not be changed. Only the distribution of school-autonomous days will change. Specifically, the days off after Easter and Whitsun will be cancelled. This would ensure relief for pupils, teachers and parents.
May 16, 2019
EU Citizens in Austria - Vote for Your Austrian MEP at the European Elections 2019
EU citizens who have their main residence in Austria can vote for Austrian members of the European Parliament. Here we show you how this works and who you can choose.
February 25, 2019
Setback for the UN - Austria Won't Sign Global Migration Pact
Austria will follow the US and Hungary in backing out of a United Nations pact on migration (Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration) over concerns that it will blur the line between illegal and legal migration.
October 31, 2018
Christian Kern: After All, Departure from Politics
The former SPÖ leader Christian Kern called to the SPÖ headquarters to quit his candidacy for the EU elections and to announce his farewell to politics. He is now indeed leaving politics and wants to return to the business world as a manager, or even to become an entrepreneur himself.
October 6, 2018
Thomas Drozda Appointed New Federal Managing Director of Austrian Social Democratic Party
The former cultural manager, who was brought back into politics by Chancellor Christian Kern, will accompany the new party leader, Pamela Rendi-Wagner, as Federal Managing Director of the Social Democratic Party (SPÖ).
September 26, 2018
Dr. Pamela Rendi-Wagner Confirmed as Party Leader of the Social Democratic Party of Austria
Pamela Rendi-Wagner, former Minister of Health and Women's Affairs, was nominated new party leader by the SPÖ party executive. This is the first time that a woman has assumed the position of SPÖ chairman. Andreas Schieder made room for Rendi Wagner, Thomas Drozda takes over the federal management from Max Lercher. Who is Rendi-Wagner and what will she do?
September 25, 2018 · Updated: September 26, 2018; 13:00
Freedom of the Media: Opposition Attacks Interior Minister Kickl
The opposition criticises the e-mail from Interior Minister Herbert Kickl (ÖVP), which is referred to as a "Gleichschaltungs" e-mail and would be a direct attack on democracy, freedom of opinion and freedom of the press.
September 25, 2018
Andreas Schieder Resigns as SPÖ Parliamentary Club Chairman
In the course of the crisis and the restructuring of the Austrian Social Democrats (SPÖ), Mr. Andreas Schieder has thrown in the towel by resigning today as club chairman.
September 25, 2018
Christian Kern to Run as Top Candidate for EU Election and to Resign as Party Chairman
After initial rumours about a stepping down from politics, Christian Kern (SPÖ) announced in the evening that he plans to give up his party chairmanship and instead intends to run in the European Parliament elections as the leading candidate of the SPÖ. "He leaves as party leader, but remains loyal to politics."
September 19, 2018
Austria's Most Significant Opposition Politician About to Resign
According to the daily newspaper "Die Presse", SPÖ boss Christian Kern is about to resign and will announce his resignation later tonight.
September 18, 2018
Meet Vienna's New Mayor Dr. Michael Ludwig
Michael Ludwig is a Viennese politician, member of the SPÖ, and since a battle vote in January 2018 against Andreas Schieder the designated mayor respectively state governor of Vienna and the state party chairman of the SPÖ Vienna. On 24 May 2018 he will take up his new position as successor to Michael Häupl.
May 3, 2018
Simplified Naturalisations in Austria for Families of Nazi Refugees
Austria plans to facilitate dual citizenship for the descendants of Nazi displaced persons.
March 15, 2018
Annual Report of the European Commission: How did Austria do?
The European Commission presented its annual reports on 27 EU member states. How did Austria do? Well, it kinda ended up with a black eye. The report took a pop at Vienna for a number of structural shortcomings, including tax burden on labour, pension and healthcare expenditures, house prices, restrictive regulation in the services markets, stagnating productivity and and not enough action on spreading digital technologies. That isn’t a particularly good report card for the previous coalition government of ÖVP und SPÖ. Let’s see if the new coalition government of ÖVP und FPÖ can make the grade the next time around.
March 11, 2018
Extremism-Gate: Special Session of Austrian National Council Convened
The somewhat opaque events surrounding the house search of the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution and Counter-Terrorism (BVT) are now making political waves. It is deeply disturbing that a unit, which in itself is not responsible for this, is supposed to have carried out the house search at the BVT and allegedly took highly sensitive intelligence information with it. The matter stinks to high heaven. The Austrian opposition has convened the National Council. The parties SPÖ, NEOS and Liste Pilz (LP) demand that Interior Minister Herbert Kickl (FPÖ) provides a complete explanation.
March 9, 2018
Chancellor Faymann Resigns
Werner Faymann has been Chancellor of Austria and chairman of the Social Democratic Party of Austria (SPÖ) since 2008. Today he announced that he will retire from all of his posts in the coming days. He resigned arguing that the reason is the loss of the support of his own party in the wake of last month's presidential elections.
May 9, 2016
Hypo Group Alpe Adria: Harsh Criticism on Austrian Government
The Austrian opposition blames the government for concealing the biggest financial disaster in Austria´s history. Governor of the Austrian National Bank Ewald Nowotny is under fire too.
February 6, 2014
Austrian Minister of Finance Under Fire
Christoph Leitl, President of the Austrian Chamber of Economics, criticizes the Austrian government sharply. Minister of Finance Michael Spindelegger is put on the defensive.
February 5, 2014
Austria Far from Reaching Fiscal Targets
Josef Moser, President of the Austrian Audit Court fears that the zero deficit cannot be achieved until 2016.
January 18, 2014
VBAG: Further State Aids Questionable
The governing Austrian social democrats (SPÖ) are against providing further funds to the partly nationalized banking group.
December 26, 2013
Austria: New Government Already Disappoints in the First Week
In 2014, Austria will not achieve its fiscal objectives, new Minister of Finance Michael Spindelegger admitted. Austria´s fiscal situation is observed critically. The country faces a new austerity package.
December 23, 2013
Austria´s Government: Old Turns into New
The leaders of the old government, Chancellor Werner Faymann and Deputy Chancellor Michael Spindelegger, announced to form a new government.
December 12, 2013
Austrian Budget Gap „Only € 18.4bn“
The Austrian government has re-calculated the fiscal shortfall. Scheduled Bank aids come at € 5.8bn. There will be no austerity package, the government claims.
November 14, 2013
Austria: New Austerity Package to Come?
Austrian economists expect that the new government will draft another austerity package. Otherwise the fiscal objectives will not be achieved.
November 6, 2013
Austrian Elections 2013: Government Punished by the Voters
The two governing parties SPÖ and ÖVP have reached their worst results ever. Nevertheless, nothing will change in Austria.
September 29, 2013
Austrian Elections 2013: Governing Parties Lose Moderately
The Austrian political landscape has changed. New parties will enter the Austrian Parliament. Nevertheless, there is no realistic alternative to the “grand coalition” between SPÖ and ÖVP.
September 29, 2013 · Updated: September 29, 2013; 17:59
Austrian Elections 2013: Majority of Government Wobbles
Tomorrow, Austria will hold elections. The coalition between the social democrats (SPÖ) and the conservatives (ÖVP) has to fear that the majority may be lost.
September 28, 2013
Faymann Underlines Necessity of Property Taxes
Austrian Chancellor Werner Faymann (SPÖ) calls for new taxes. In total, property taxes should bring tax revenues of more than € 2.0bn.
September 9, 2013
Austria: Fekter Does Not Publish Controversial Industrial Location Study
According to a recent study on the quality of Austria´s industrial location, the number of leaving multinational companies is growing.
August 25, 2013
Austria: Property Distribution Highly Unequal
About 10% of Austria´s population owns 70% of the nation´s wealth. The governing social democrats reaffirm that Austria needs property taxes.
August 5, 2013
Austrian Audit Court Criticizes Group Taxation
The costs of the Austrian group taxation model total about € 450m, the Audit Court said in a current report.
July 19, 2013
Austria: Opposition Puts Forward Constitutional Challenge
Fiscal Pact undermines sovereignty of parliament and forces the country to severe austerity measures.
March 9, 2013
Austria: Controversy About Property Taxes
According to Christian Keuschnigg, director of IHS, property taxes would have a negative impact on economic growth and the employment situation.
February 20, 2013
Austrian Governing Parties Disagree on EU Budget
The Austrian people´s party (ÖVP) has criticized Federal Chancellor Werner Faymann (SPÖ). The social democrats argue that the coalition partner ÖVP has “no team sprit”.
February 11, 2013
Fekter to Present Tax Reform Concept
In May, Austria´s minister of finance Maria Fekter (ÖVP) will present a new fiscal concept.
January 14, 2013
Vienna´s Debt Level Grows Considerably
In 2013, the public debt level of Austria´s capital will increase to € 4.34bn.
November 19, 2012
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