New laws and co.

What the Carinthian government is planning for 2025

Club chairmen Markus Malle (ÖVP) and Herwig Seiser (SPÖ) hosted the political New Year's breakfast

(Bild: SPÖ Kärnten)

Wind power, tourism and housing: these are topics that the "Sustainability Coalition" would like to focus on in the coming year. To this end, the SPÖ and ÖVP also want to introduce new laws.

The two party chairmen Herwig Seiser (SPÖ) and Markus Malle (ÖVP) presented their roadmap for the new year on Thursday. For the time being, the focus is - not surprisingly - on the referendum on January 12, in which Carinthians can vote on a ban on further wind turbines: "I think a categorical rejection of wind power is wrong," Seiser points out.

Carinthia needs an energy mix; buying in energy in winter costs the state 600 million euros a year. "The Graz University of Technology has also predicted negative effects in an expert report if wind energy is completely restricted," says the Red Party leader.

"The new Energy Transition Act has enabled strict legal zoning for wind turbines in Carinthia," Malle also argues against a total ban. For example, 0.26 percent of the provincial area - that is 24 square kilometers in a total of seven Carinthian municipalities - is designated as a potential area for wind turbines: "And an EIA is also necessary there!"

Tourism and housing reform in Carinthia
The SPÖ-ÖVP government is also planning to reform the Tourism Act: "On the one hand, this involves merging different tourism taxes, such as the local and overnight stay tax; and on the other, a reorganization of the tourism associations," announces Malle. Negotiations are already underway for both projects - whether the taxes will also be increased depends on the results of these talks.

After the new housing subsidy comes into force, the two provincial parliamentary parties also want to renew housing subsidies: "Young families must be able to afford property again." In 2024, only 157 single-family homes were built in Carinthia with the help of the old housing subsidy: "The income limits, the maximum permitted cost per square meter and other parameters must be adjusted," the state politicians explained.

Herwig Seiser (left) and Markus Malle (right) present the government's plans for the new year.

(Bild: Jennifer Kapellari)

The coalition also wants to dedicate itself to innovation in the construction industry: "19 model projects have already been implemented in Bavaria and Germany that deal with building type E," Seiser points out.

This involves a simpler type of construction in which equipment and comfort standards deviate from the norm without compromising quality and safety: "It's about the number of sockets or, for example, the thickness of the partition walls or ceilings," says Seiser and announces an inquiry on this topic.

In Carinthia, we are showing that the SPÖ and ÖVP can govern together.

sind sich Herwig Seiser (SPÖ) und Markus Malle (ÖVP) einig

Most recently, the two politicians renewed their demands to the future federal government, which were passed in October with the votes of all provincial parliamentary parties: "In Carinthia, we are showing that the SPÖ and ÖVP can govern together," they agreed and emphasized that they would continue to focus on the future of Carinthia.

Team Carinthia: "Take off the rose-colored glasses"
Team Carinthia leader Gerhard Köfer does not see an overly rosy annual balance sheet for this alliance: "It is important to take off the rose-tinted sunglasses and not gloss over everything or pray it all back to health, but to work together to find solutions in the interests of the Carinthians. These can only be found in partnership between the governing and opposition parties. The current major problems require joint political efforts." Köfer wants to support the idea of pushing through administrative reforms in Carinthian tourism.