"Rewarding performance"

PK now live: This is what the ÖVP’s Austria plan says

"Stability for Austria": Federal Chancellor and ÖVP leader Karl Nehammer presents his plan for Austria. Next to him: Georg Strasser and Sophia Kirchner

(Bild: APA/HELMUT FOHRINGER)

On Thursday, the ÖVP, led by Federal Chancellor Karl Nehammer, presented its 270-page election program for the ballot on September 29. There are no surprises in the self-proclaimed Austria Plan: promoting performance, reducing taxes, no new debt, less bureaucracy and a strict asylum policy are the top priorities.

The election manifesto was unanimously adopted by the party leadership on Wednesday, Nehammer emphasized at the presentation in his party's political academy.

"Increase prosperity"
The focus is on conservative values: "We want to reward performance, generate growth and increase prosperity." The Chancellor sees the election manifesto as an "offer to the center". 

Excerpts from the ÖVP's Austria plan:

• Full-time bonus of 1000 euros. Nehammer focuses on fairness in performance. "That is why we are introducing a full-time bonus of 1000 euros, making overtime tax-free, exempting work in retirement from taxes and reducing wage and income tax for 5 million taxpayers," emphasized the Chancellor. 

The ÖVP's plan for Austria

(Bild: AFP)

• No new debts. The ÖVP continues to focus on stability in financial policy and therefore wants to return to a balanced budget by the end of the legislative period. This should also create scope for future investments.

• No wealth and inheritance tax. The People's Party wants more prosperity in old age, which is why it wants to exempt investments in the future, such as pension deposits, from taxes after a retention period and reduce the insurance tax on pension fund contributions. A wealth and inheritance tax is still strictly rejected. 

"Stability for Austria": Federal Chancellor and ÖVP leader Karl Nehammer presents his plan for Austria. Next to him: Georg Strasser and Sophia Kirchner

(Bild: APA/HELMUT FOHRINGER)

(Bild: AFP)

(Bild: APA/HELMUT FOHRINGER)

"Stability for Austria": Federal Chancellor and ÖVP leader Karl Nehammer presents his plan for Austria.

(Bild: AFP)

(Bild: AFP)

• Strengthening Austria as a business location. The ÖVP wants to reduce non-wage labor costs by 0.5 percent per year, and corporate income tax is also to be constantly lowered above the EU level. New incentives for investment are to be created through better depreciation, tax credits and more attractive business transfers.
• Pub package. End of the obligation to keep receipts under 30 euros, less regulation of pubs. Red-white-red card for shortage occupations within 72 hours. 

Making the future more predictable again and opening the next chapter in Austria's success story: this is what the next five years will be all about - and this is also our major concern.

Bundeskanzler Karl Nehammer (ÖVP)

• Fight against illegal migration. Criminal asylum seekers should be consistently deported, the right to asylum should be withdrawn in cases of abuse and family reunification should also be temporarily suspended.

• Stricter rules for granting citizenship. The ÖVP wants to create new criteria such as the compulsory completion of citizenship courses and the passing of German examinations exclusively at the Austrian Integration Fund (ÖIF). 

• German and values courses. Better integration should prevent mere immigration into the social system. A compulsory language assessment should be introduced before regular schooling begins. In addition, compulsory values courses should be introduced. Austrian values (holidays and public holidays, equality of men and women) must not be shaken. 
• 800 new doctor posts. The People's Party wants to pump 11 billion into the care and healthcare system. A professional obligation for doctors after training in Austria is to be introduced. Fast doctor and surgery appointments are to be guaranteed.

(Bild: HELMUT FOHRINGER)

• Less bureaucracy and regulation. Laws and rules with an expiration date are to be created. For example, "gold plating" (the undesirable overfulfilment of EU minimum standards) is to be banned, and the ÖVP also wants to modernize administration by reducing reports and forms.

• Re-introduction of performance groups. In the education sector, the ÖVP wants to reintroduce performance groups. There should also be a "compulsory education". Nehammer: "No child who cannot read, write and calculate should leave school."

• Freedom of choice in childcare. Another point in the ÖVP program is dedicated to families, "the foundation of our society", according to the Chancellor. With a total of 4.5 billion euros by 2030, the ÖVP wants to create better framework conditions, for example for childcare.

• Stricter rules for unemployment benefits. Nehammer: "Through a degressive unemployment benefit that decreases over time and stricter rules, we want those who work to have more than those who don't want to work," emphasized Nehammer.

Symbol photo

(Bild: APA/dpa/Oliver Berg)

• AI introduction in the public sector. In order to create career prospects in the administration, the range of services is to be adapted to the challenges of the times. This should make the state more efficient and leaner. 

• Affordable housing for owner-occupiers and tenants. This is to be achieved by increasing the home ownership rate to 60 percent, for example through a low-cost home loan for young families.

Even if not everything can succeed in dramatic times of crisis: We have been able to avert a great deal of damage to our country and our citizens. And ensured that our country can continue to develop well.

Bundeskanzler Karl Nehammer (ÖVP)

• Retention of cash. There should be a nationwide cash supply in every municipality.
• Rejection of excessive gender stereotyping. "Anyone who makes gender ideologies the measure of all things is weakening families and the indispensable services they provide for our society," emphasized Nehammer.

32,000 mobilepolice stations
Also in the Austrian plan: More funding for the protection of women, support for agricultural businesses, expansion of STEM and university of applied sciences study places, 32,000 mobile police inspections, incentives for voluntary work, investment in the Austrian Armed Forces (Sky Shield), protection strategy for Jewish life, protection against privatization of the water supply, promotion of grassroots and elite sport.