With a debate about an FPÖ application to abolish compulsory membership in the Austrian university, the National Councilor His plenary week ended today. Students should be able to decide for themselves whether they want to pay the ÖH contribution and thus want to become a member of the university or not, demand MP Martin Graf and his parliamentary group: inside. In the other factions, the FPÖ did not ran open doors. In its opinion, the FPÖ only brought the application to the agenda because ÖH elections will take place soon. There was no vote on the initiative today, after the first reading, the application was assigned to the Science Committee for Preliminary Service.
Previously, the MPs unanimously took note of both the activity report of the Court of Auditors 2024 and a report on income development in Austria. Auditors’ Court President Margit Kraker once again warned a strict budget consolidation course. The state spent 8 billion ꞓ too much last year, it emphasized. It is now important that the government is developing a convincing plan for the renovation of state finances.
No majority received a motion for a decision by the Greens. MP Nina Tomaselli and her group of parliamentary group: Chancellor Christian Stocker wanted to ask the ÖVP to set a 14-day payment period for the performance of a rent payment for the holding of the ÖVP federal party executive on January 5, 2025, but were only able to win the FPÖ. According to the Greens, the provision of the BKA’s state rooms is an illegal party donation to the ÖVP.
With a mostly accepted application for deadlines, ÖVP, SPÖ, FPÖ and NEOS ensured that the National Council can also advise on a novella on the Animal Welfare Act on May 13 if the health committee should no longer meet before. The specific contains the one already introduced in March Application Not, but it could be about full column floors in pig farming. After the Constitutional Court has lifted the existing transition periods as too long, a complete ban will face a complete ban from June 2025.
FPÖ wants to abolish ÖH compulsory membership
The demand for the abolition of ÖH mandatory membership (145/A) From the FPÖ with the fact that the ÖH has long since no longer fulfilled its core task – the representation of the interests of all students in Austria. The ÖH throw the membership fees “out to the window” and thus finance “completely crazy ideological projects” that would not help a single student, said FPÖ MP Manuel Litzke. He also locates “left -wing extremist violence against the right” in the ÖH. Only recently had representatives of the ring of freedom students (RFS) “threatened, fought and attacked”, according to Litzke, according to representatives: inside the VSSTÖ.
The FPÖ member also used his speech to advertise a vote for the RFS in the ÖH elections. This is exactly why the FPÖ also put the application on the agenda, green MP Ralph Schallmeiner was convinced. Whenever ÖH elections are, the FPÖ comes with an application to abolish the ÖH, he said. Probably because the RFS no longer gets foot in the ÖH door, Schallmeiner said. Schallmeiner himself considers it important that the ÖH is not only a service facility, but also does a student policy, and accused the FPÖ to want to withdraw money from a critical voice.
Heinrich Himmer (SPÖ) also conceded by the ÖH that they have made good politics in recent years. The SPÖ is on the side of democratic institutions and on the students’ side, he said. A lot would be achieved for students with the ÖH contributions. Thomas Elian (ÖVP) pointed out that the ÖH brought the concerns of students to university policy and public discourse. He regretted the traditionally low turnout in ÖH elections.
On the part of the Neos, Ines Holzegger warned more willingness to reform from the ÖH. If you really need a printed university newspaper in times of digitization, she asked. It also pushed for more transparency. However, the FPÖ referred them to any credibility on this question. In view of the expenditure of the FPÖ Vienna, one cannot insist on a sensible use of funds through the ÖH, she said. On the subject of compulsory membership, Holzegger noted that anyone who creates added value does not need compulsion.
Activity report of the Court of Auditors 2024
Previously, the MPs had discussed two reports from the Court of Auditors and unanimously took note of them. On the one hand it was about that Activity report 2024who not only provides comprehensive information about the Court of Auditors’ Auditors’ Auditors’ Exams, but also about other areas of responsibility of the Court of Auditors. This applies, for example, to the recently expanded powers of the Court of Auditors when checking the partyinances, which according to the Court of Auditors have generally proven themselves. In individual points, however, the Court of Auditors Margit Kraker still sees the need for adaptation.
In total, the Court of Auditors published 49 reports last year, 40 of them – including the Federal Calculation – went to the National Council. The focus of the test in recent years – sustainable state action for the next generations – will be replaced by the “confidence in the state” from the test. The examiners want to focus more on the future suitability of the public administration and to spur them on more reforming willingness to reform, as it says in the report. The accounting courtyard also considers the spout and return to a sustainable budget path to be unavoidable.
Much praise for the Court of Auditors
In the debate, the Auditors’ Court President Margit Kraker emphasized that reports submitted by the Court of Auditors last year would show the content of the topics with which the Court of Auditors deals with. The spectrum extends from debt shots to climate protection. For Kraker, the fact that the Court of Auditors was able to check the annual financial statements of the OSCE is a sign of the international recognition of the Court of Auditors. Kraker appealed to the deputies to deal with the reports of the Court of Auditors, where she pointed out that 74 reports for the negotiation would currently be in the Court of Auditors.
There was a lot of praise for the Court of Auditors on the part of the MPs. For example, NEOS MP Markus Hofer thanked Parliament’s work. His “great work” enables the MPs to carry out their control function, he said. This also highlighted green MP Nina Tomaselli. The Court of Auditors is a supporting pillar of parliamentary democracy and real support for parliament, she emphasized. Hofer also expressly welcomed the new test focus of the Court of Auditors.
On the part of the FPÖ, Wolfgang Zanger accused the government of Reform and was convinced that basic reforms were only possible with the FPÖ. If there had been a government participation by the FPÖ, it would also have caused Corona to deal with Corona.
Among other things, Karin Greiner (SPÖ) spoke out for an expansion of all -day schools to enable women to work full -time. In addition, she pushed for more wage transparency and pointed out the recommendation of the Court of Auditors to pour out subsidies in a targeted manner and present it transparently. Jakob Grüner (ÖVP) pointed out that a lot of what the Court of Auditors recommend is implemented.
Income development in Austria
Every two years, the Court of Auditors publishes a comprehensive presentation of the average income of the population in Austria, whereby the today discussed Message which includes 2022 and 2023. In 2023, 4.7 million people in Austria followed up for an independent employment, around 10 % more than ten years ago. However, the proportion of full -time employees all year round fell by two percentage points during this period. More than every second woman worked part -time all year round (51 %) all year round, and it was 12 %for men.
As a medium -sized gross annual income of all dependent employees, the report for 2023,300 ꞓ, whereby the average income of part -time employees with 25,400 ꞓ was only half of the average income of the full -time employees (51,500 ꞓ). The income is also very dependent on the industry, and the men’s income was also in all employment groups above that of women. The women’s income disadvantage continues in the pension: While pensioners received an average of 30,300 ꞓ gross annually in 2023, the annual average was 18,800 ꞓ. It is also striking that the pensions have increased more on average (+80 %) in the past 20 years than the income of the dependent ones (+61 %).
Debate about part -time work
The focus of the debate was the subject of part -time work. Elke Hanel-Torsch (SPÖ) pointed out that the majority of part-time employees adored that they work part-time because they had to look after children or relatives in need of care. It is important to start here. However, “herd premiums” for women who do not give their children to kindergarten does not see them as a real way.
Johannes Gasser (NEOS) pointed out that not only employees with care obligations would work part -time, even if that was the majority. However, many would work part -time because they wanted this. This is one of the reasons why the working hours worked in Austria. You have to see that not every additional working hour is worth less, he warned. In this assembly, he also wants to evaluate the degressive unemployment insurance contribution. It is about maintaining prosperity in Austria.
On the part of the Greens, Markus Koza pointed out that women would earn less than men even if one would calculate the part -time factor. One has to talk more about the fair division between paid and unpaid work, he demanded. At the same time, he spoke in favor of a “illuminated handling” with the topic of part -time. Koza was also concerned about the fact that 700,000 workers recently: on the inside were atypical. Alexander Petschnig (FPÖ) warned more support for mothers to eliminate existing injustices.
Rudolf Taschner (ÖVP) pointed out that there is basically high income justice in Austria if the Gini coefficient is taken as a yardstick. He does not consider complete equality of income to be feasible and also not worth striving for. (Conclusion National Council) GS
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