Strict austerity measures

Zero pay round coming for all federal politicians

The previous coalition of the ÖVP and the Greens had already announced a zero pay round in the summer, but only for "top politicians" at federal level. Now it applies to everyone.

(Bild: APA/GEORG HOCHMUTH)

The salaries of federal politicians will not be increased next year. The ÖVP, SPÖ and NEOS have agreed on this. This means that the zero pay round originally announced by the turquoise-green government will also be extended to members of parliament.

This had also been expected recently, as the negotiators of a new government of ÖVP, SPÖ and NEOS are currently busy putting together an austerity package worth billions due to the huge budget shortfall. The agreement comes just in time for the last plenary session of the year on Wednesday. A resolution in the National Council is necessary if the legally prescribed adjustment factor is to be deviated from - for 2025 this would have been 4.6 percent.

"Zero pay round on a broad parliamentary basis"
 The previous coalition of the ÖVP and the Greens had already announced a zero pay round in the summer, but only for "top politicians" in the federal government. This would have affected, among others, the Federal President and the entire government team as well as the presidents of the National Council and heads of parliamentary clubs. Members of the National Council and Federal Council, on the other hand, were to receive half the adjustment factor. However, the election at the end of September changed the majority situation in the National Council, with the ÖVP and Greens no longer having a majority. Therefore, a solution had to be found between parliamentary groups that together have a majority in the National Council - this has now been agreed by the ÖVP, SPÖ and NEOS, who are currently negotiating a coalition. "This means that the zero-wage round has a broad parliamentary basis," it said.

Federal states decide on adjustment themselves
"We are committed to austerity", said August Wöginger, managing head of the ÖVP parliamentary group, in a statement, calling it an "important step". "Regardless of who is responsible for the tight budget situation, it is now our joint responsibility to make a contribution and set a good example," explained SPÖ deputy leader Philip Kucher. "People must feel that the state is willing to make savings for itself. Otherwise there will be no understanding among the population to support austerity measures," said Nikolaus Scherak, deputy head of the NEOS party. "We believe a zero wage round is the only way forward and also think that some countries will follow suit."

However, the regulation for the adjustments at state and municipal level is left to the respective federal states. At the weekend, the Greens and FPÖ had called for a zero pay round for politicians at state level too.