Vorarlberg SPÖ leader:

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The three SPÖ members of parliament, Manuela Auer, Mario Leiter and Reinhold Einwallner, are not happy with the government program.(Bild: SPÖ Vorarlberg)

Social Democrats are particularly annoyed about the lack of measures to make housing affordable again. Voters would have expected more, says Vorarlberg SPÖ regional party leader Mario Leiter. As far as non-profit housing is concerned, it is no longer even said how many new apartments are to be built.  

The government program of the ÖVP and FPÖ comprises just under 100 pages. However, there is hardly anything new to be found in it," says SPÖ leader and club chairman Mario Leiter. This fact is particularly bitter with regard to the creation of affordable housing. "During the election campaign, the ÖVP and FPÖ campaigned for votes with the promise of making housing in Vorarlberg affordable again. The fact that the government program now only contains existing measures and strategies is shameful. The people of Vorarlberg certainly hoped for and deserved more here."

Mario Leiter, who works for the Bludenz municipal police force himself, believes that the federal government needs to find ways to make the police profession more attractive.(Bild: Schulter Christian)

Leiter, who still works for the municipal police force in Bludenz, is also unconvinced by the proposals made by members of the government on the subject of security. "Essentially, Black-Blue is making a long commitment to the status quo, for which the federal government is largely responsible." The fact that the police profession needs to become more attractive has been the subject of discussion for years. "The recipe for this is apparently still missing, as the fundamental issue of pay is a federal matter and the scope for significant improvement on the part of the state is therefore relatively small." 

"When it comes to education, the ÖVP and FPÖ remain visionless," criticizes Manuela Auer. The progress that has been made in recent years, for example with regard to the common school, is even being put to one side. "A good, well-founded education is the be-all and end-all. With its proximity to Liechtenstein and Switzerland, Vorarlberg is in constant competition when it comes to well-trained specialists. And the state is not ensuring that education is given the importance it should have."

Cuts to heating allowance already decided
According to the SPÖ member of parliament, it is also striking that the government program includes austerity measures in the social sector. This was made clear, for example, by the planned cuts to the heating allowance. "This social benefit is claimed by people who really need this extra money," says Auer.

With the reduction of the heating cost subsidy to the original level before the inflation adjustment and the lowering of income limits, the black-green coalition had also left behind a nice parting gift. "What the black-green state government decided before the elections provides the blueprint for the direction taken by the ÖVP and FPÖ." For Manuela Auer, it is clear that cuts in the social sector are to be expected under the black-blue government. "For us as the SPÖ, this type of policy is a no-go!" 

Einwallner: Black-Blue needs strong control
In Reinhold Einwallner's view, there is room for improvement when it comes to control in the country. "If you look at the government's program, it is clear that the Black-Blue government believes that it has always taken a strict, consistent approach to controlling speculative transactions. In view of the recent events surrounding Hypo, this is a complete misjudgement."

The black-blue government pact therefore needs responsible control from the opposition, says Einwallner. It is all well and good that there is a commitment in the government program not to engage in speculative transactions with public funds, but the scandals of the past are still in the minds of Vorarlberg residents. "Be it the Wirtschaftsbund, the construction scandal surrounding Siemens or Hypo's lending to Signa - all of these matters have permanently damaged people's trust in politics. Strong controls are needed in the country to prevent such incidents from happening again," emphasizes Reinhold Einwallner.

The self-image with which the ÖVP and FPÖ act makes it essential to monitor this black-blue state government. For Einwallner, there is no question that the SPÖ will carry out this task with great care. As the responsible spokesperson for the SPÖ, he claims the right to chair the control committee.