Protection against forced marriages

ÖVP and Greens bicker over higher marriage age

Government measures against forced marriages are still pending.

(Bild: AFP/GABRIEL BOUYS)

In their government program, the ÖVP and the Greens have actually planned measures against forced marriages, such as raising the age of marriage to 18 and banning the marriage of cousins - but this has not yet been implemented. 

A month and a half before the National Council elections, the ÖVP is now once again pushing for more protection against forced marriages and has submitted a draft to its coalition partner. The Greens would like to see a larger package and have accused the ÖVP of blocking it.

Marriage age to be raised to 18
Unfortunately, the phenomenon of forced marriage also occurs in Austria, argues the ÖVP. "We must ensure that minors are not forced into marriage. That is why the age of marriage in Austria should be raised to 18", demanded ÖVP human rights spokesperson Gudrun Kugler and family spokesperson Norbert Sieber in a press release on Thursday. They have submitted a corresponding initiative to the Greens.

Marriage under the age of 18 is prohibited in principle in Austria, with the exception of when a court declares 16 or 17-year-olds to be of legal age.

Measures against forced marriage
Forced marriage often affects minors who are already the second or third generation to live in Austria. "It is mainly young women who are put under pressure to marry a man or close relative in their parents' home country, who is often unknown to them," explained Kugler.

The ÖVP's initiative therefore also includes a ban on marriage between cousins, for example. The party is also working on a package of measures that includes preventative and awareness-raising measures as well as rehabilitation and support measures for children and young people who have been forced into marriage.

Greens against "show politics"
The Greens told APA on Thursday that they had already submitted concrete proposals to the ÖVP regarding marriage from the age of 18, but these had been rejected. "Regrettably, the coalition partner only submitted technically useless proposals with glaring gaps and shortcomings," said Green family spokesperson Barbara Neßler. "We are not in favor of this kind of show politics."

Improvements would also have been welcome with regard to the maintenance guarantee and the comprehensive reform and modernization of child custody law, but here, too, Family Minister Susanne Raab (ÖVP) had "shone above all through her blockade attitude and showed no noticeable will to implement real improvements in the interests of children".