Councillor Hanke in conversation

“A billion euros in social welfare already scares me”

Vienna's City Councillor for Finance Peter Hanke (SPÖ) in his office at City Hall: "Frugal budgeting will be necessary."(Bild: Mario Urbantschitsch)

The National Council elections are on Sunday, after which coalition negotiations will begin. If the SPÖ joins the government, his name will be mentioned again and again: Peter Hanke, Vienna City Councillor for Finance. A few days before the election, Hanke talks about "frugal budgeting" and makes a coalition recommendation.

Will Austria soon be calling him "Mr. Federal Minister"? Vienna's City Councillor for Finance Peter Hanke (SPÖ) is being considered for higher office in a possible federal government with the ÖVP. But how does the top politician see the most important issues of our time? We asked him:

On the floods: as a city councillor, he is responsible for the fire department. Hanke expresses his thanks to all the emergency services. He continues: "We have seen that we can control even a 1000-year flood well."

On public transport: "Every delay in construction projects is a nuisance for the Viennese, for which I have also apologized," explains the city councillor. When will the U2 run continuously again? Answer: "At the end of October plus maybe two weeks." Wiener Linien must succeed in this period. The 365-euro annual ticket will remain in place until 2026 for the time being.