Attack on ÖVP

SPÖ grandees want an end to the “seven lean years”

(Bild: APA/EVA MANHART)

Two SPÖ veterans join the election campaign. - Austria needs a turnaround after "seven lean years" of the ÖVP, SPÖ economic spokesman Christoph Matznetter told journalists on Thursday. SPÖ social spokesman Josef Muchitsch criticized that the employment programme was geared towards wage and social dumping.

In order to get the domestic economy moving again, it was necessary to stimulate the economy and get inflation and unemployment under control, said Matznetter. To implement this, the politician proposes an education offensive and an industry fund. One-person companies (EPU) and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) also need more support.

Rent cap for commercial premises too
"It is unacceptable that a bike messenger is not covered by social security," said Matznetter. "He has to be ill for 43 days to get a few netsch." The economic spokesperson also called for a rent cap not only for apartments, but also for commercial premises.

An employment program should not be geared towards wage and social dumping, said SPÖ social spokesman Josef Muchitsch. According to Muchitsch, a reduction in working hours is quite realistic: 52 percent of employees already have a working time of 38.5 hours under the collective agreement.

SPÖ social spokesman Josef Muchitsch(Bild: APA/Roland Schlager)

SPÖ wants "back to growth"
The taxation of the so-called excess profits of energy suppliers and banks had by far not brought the predicted yield, criticized Matznetter. Instead of billions, it would have brought in just 450 million euros. And the Covid funding had mainly benefited large companies and those who had profited from the crisis, according to the SPÖ politician.

Overall, the economic data for Austria paints a bleak picture, with Austria performing poorly in terms of inflation compared to the rest of Europe, Matznetter continued. "Back to growth" is now just as important as getting inflation under control, added the SPÖ politician. "No SPÖ government has ever managed so much downwards," added the SPÖ social spokesperson.

The ÖVP talks about reducing taxes, but does not explain how it intends to finance this, noted Matznetter. "And the FPÖ has only copied the ÖVP's election program anyway," said the SPÖ economic spokesman. In recent years, the funds for public investment had not been available, but private investment had also failed to materialize.

"How to finance tax cuts?"
If the ÖVP wants to reduce taxes and ancillary wage costs, it must also explain how it intends to finance this, Muchitsch emphasized. "Strengthening performance incentives - what does that mean?" Muchitsch remarked. However, he is also critical of the planned reduction in non-wage labor costs: "How is the financing secured here? Where do they (the ÖVP, note) want to make savings? In pensions, family benefits or in the municipalities?" asked the social spokesman.

The two politicians, on the other hand, once again advocated the introduction of inheritance and wealth taxes to finance their plans. "It is not to be expected that the shy deer will then leave the country," said Matznetter. "In Switzerland, these taxes are levied at cantonal level and nobody moves away."