What is Vienna doing?

“An asylum code without a law is just a PR stunt”

It is the political topic of the day: In Vorarlberg, refugees have to sign a document confirming that they are taking a German course and doing community service, otherwise their social welfare would be cut.(Bild: Andi Schiel)

Vorarlberg wants to oblige asylum seekers to do community service and attend German courses - is this also an issue for Vienna? Social Welfare Councillor Peter Hacker (SPÖ) is certainly not very enthusiastic.

Daily pro-Palestine demonstrations including anti-Semitic slogans, a rapid rise in unemployment among young foreigners - Austria's asylum policy is currently under scrutiny. Now the ruling People's Party in Vorarlberg is daring to make a controversial move. It is called the "Vorarlberg Code". The state requires refugees to sign a confirmation that they must attend German courses and do community service, among other things. Failure to comply results in cuts to social benefits.

This has not only been applauded by politicians from the Turkish camp. The red-governed state of Carinthia is also quite open to "a compulsory social and integration year". It is not yet clear what the regulations could look like at state level in Vorarlberg or Carinthia. And what do they think in Vienna?