FPÖ also against

Work for social welfare: ÖVP fails with proposal

The majority voted against community service for social welfare in St. Pölten.(Bild: Stadt Villach)

The St. Pölten ÖVP's proposal to link the receipt of social welfare benefits to community service was shot down by an unusual "coalition" in the town hall.

The proposal by the ÖVP in St. Pölten to link the receipt of social welfare benefits in the provincial capital to community service has caused quite a stir - and also met with a great deal of approval from the population. An obligation that should also apply to asylum seekers. However, the People's Party's proposal was resoundingly defeated by the SPÖ, the Greens and the FPÖ.

"Better to keep ranting"
Much to the annoyance of ÖVP party leader Florian Krumböck and his colleague Alexander Thallmeier: "The social hammock neither strengthens integration nor social cohesion in the city." According to Krumböck, 1600 welfare recipients currently live in St. Pölten, many of whom could be obliged to work for the common good. "Anyone who can go to work could be called upon to maintain parking areas or clear snow. Legally, this is not a problem; other municipalities have also shown that this is possible," says Krumböck. The fact that the FPÖ has also refused to demand that asylum seekers make a contribution to society gives Krumböck pause for thought: "They probably want to be able to carry on grumbling."

Don't work, deport...
FPÖ city councillor Klaus Otzelberger disagrees. They had voted against it because they demanded faster asylum procedures. "People who are not allowed to stay with us should not do community work, but should be deported as quickly as possible."