SPÖ identifies high hurdles

Where one million older people are disadvantaged

Eva-Maria Holzleitner, head of the Red Women's Party, wants to assert the right to an analog life and is also submitting a motion to this end.(Bild: Krone KREATIV/Zwefo zVg)

45 percent of people over 70 in Austria do not use the Internet, but are entitled to 100 percent of the four billion euros in federal subsidies - which are only available online. The SPÖ wants to remedy this situation and push through its demand for the right to an analog life. Where the party identifies disadvantages for older people and what is in the urgent motion prepared for this purpose.

At the party council in Wieselburg, Lower Austria, SPÖ leader Andreas Babler gave his much-cited "heart and brain" speech. The demand for a right to an analog life received particular attention then and still does today. "With their hard work, the older generation has made this country what it is today. They deserve our respect for this. Respect for older people also means that no one should be punished if they don't want to take every step in life digitally," said the party. At the plenary session on Wednesday, the SPÖ will table an urgent motion in parliament - and will turn the demand into a law as soon as possible.

This is about billions in state subsidies, secure savings investments with good interest rates and ultimately also simply respect for the people who have made our country what it is today.

Eva-Maria Holzleitner, Chefin der SPÖ-Frauen

Four billion euros can only be withdrawn online
According to the red calculators, the areas of federal savings, repair and tradesman bonuses, renovation bonuses and boiler replacement alone would account for a total volume of four billion euros in benefits and subsidies from the public sector, which can only be applied for online. One million people would be denied these online offers. The Social Democrats around women's leader Eva-Maria Holzleitner see three stumbling blocks in particular that need to be rolled out of the way: