Austria: one month after coming to power, the coalition already at work

Audio 03:31

By: Isaure Hiace

It has been a month since the new government took office in Austria with an unprecedented alliance between the Conservatives and the Greens. And the coalition wanted to show that it was going to work immediately.

Publicity

In one month, the government has multiplied announcements in very diverse fields: creation of 4,300 jobs in the police force or even income tax cut next year for the first tranche. However, the announcements that most caught the attention of the Austrian press concerned integration and immigration. Two measures, in particular, have caused a lot of ink to flow: the prohibition of the veil at school for girls up to the age of 14 and the creation of a preventive detention system for those tried dangerous, asylum seekers being the target of this measure.

The date of the implementation of these reforms is not yet known but already, they divide the two coalition partners. Some members of the Greens did not hide their opposition to the first and they remain cautious on the second, recalling that the preventive detention system must comply with the Constitution and European law. Thus, in these areas, where disagreements were expected, the Greens assume their position .

A new hope

The entry of environmentalists into government had raised much hope among climate defenders and several reforms in favor of ecology were raised. Discussions have notably started around the creation of a subscription card at 3 euros per day which will allow public transport throughout Austria. But for this as for other measures, there is not yet a clear timetable, deplore the environmental NGOs. “ In the government's program, regrets Adam Pawloff of Greenpeace, environmental policy is based on certain themes: finance, transport and energy. So far, we have only heard of the financial issue and it has been postponed. With regard to the issue of transport and energy, we still do not have a clear timetable. This sends the signal that the climate is not a priority! "

The Greens, for their part, explain that certain measures require time but ensure that they will indeed be implemented.

A stable coalition

For the moment, despite assumed disagreements, the alliance holds. It must be said that each of the two parties has an interest in this stability today . Conservative Sebastian Kurz, who ended two coalitions, cannot afford to do it a third time. It is therefore important for the Chancellor to show that this new alliance can succeed. Ditto for the Greens who must prove that they can achieve success on environmental policy, at the risk of disappointing their electorate and dividing the party. Added to this is the expectation of the Austrians, many of whom support the coalition after a month of government, between 48 and 56% according to the various polls.

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