Punch of the week

A green man, work and citizenship

Peter Kraus and Ömer Öztas (Greens)(Bild: Steffi Freynschlag)

Every week we choose the Punch of the Week here. This time it's a Green...

Don't worry if you don't know who Ömer Öztas is - the Green member of the Vienna state parliament with a generous salary is so rarely in the public eye that he has probably forgotten who he is himself. Briefly aware of his presence on this planet, he tweeted: "In Vienna, 100% of the population has to pay taxes, but 34% have no right to vote and have no say in where this money goes. This is a democratic deficit and must change!"

He was quickly corrected by people with real jobs in the comments: "Correction: only 67.3% of the population of Vienna between 15 and 64 pay taxes." Or: "It doesn't have to. If you want to have a say, apply for citizenship. Just like everywhere else."

"Too bad"
But it is hardly surprising that Ömer Öztas lacks a connection to other people's money. His last professional sign of life was in June, when he said in a state parliament speech that it was "a pity that the number of children's lawyers is not higher". Silence since then - if only it had stayed that way. Our Punch of the week.