Difficult times

Future Monitor: What makes our Austria tick

(Bild: stock.adobe.com/Drobot Dean )

The Zukunftsmonitor 2024 shows where people are feeling the pinch in difficult times.

What do Mr. and Mrs. Austrian secretly think? Where does the shoe pinch? And what are the topics of heated debate at the country's regulars' tables? These are questions that the Federation of Austrian Industries asked itself. It commissioned the Institute for Empirical Social Research to survey 1202 Austrians on various topics. The results were compiled in the Future Monitor 2024.

Only one in four are confident about job security
Some of the results are not very surprising, but others are very surprising. For example (see chart), that almost one in five can imagine a "strong hand" instead of parliament and elections. Or that in the difficult job market situation, only 26% still have positive expectations regarding their job security.

(Bild: Krone KREATIV/stock.adobe.com)

The fact that Austrians are unfamiliar with migration is nothing new in itself. However, the fact that 62% are in favor of rapid labor market integration of migrants is rather unexpected. And 63% want simplifications for key and top employees from abroad. On the other hand, not even a third are in favor of the cultural and religious diversity that immigration inevitably brings.

Only eleven percent have confidence in domestic parties
At 56.3%, the majority did vote in the EU elections. However, only a quarter confirm that they have a lot of trust in the EU. This is still better than the trust in domestic parties - which only eleven percent still have. And financial matters? Only just under half are satisfied with their own financial situation. Only 18% think that everyone in Austria has the same opportunities, and 57% think that the social differences are unfair.

The most important things for respondents are: respectful interaction with one another, personal freedom and personal responsibility. Wishes that are also a loud voice to the future government ...