After today’s National Council meeting the MPs decided to end the conference 2024/25 on July 15th. The interior committee can also meet in summer. He was unanimously declared to be permanently declared by the MPs. The National Council can also be convened for special meetings or extraordinary conferences at any time during the conference -free period if a corresponding request is sufficiently supported. The next conference begins on September 9th.
The regional council could also meet in the summer months if the Constitutional Court does not follow the concerns of the ÖVP, SPÖ and NEOS against the committee of inquiry requested by the FPÖ. He would then have to take the resolutions that have not been taken for the time being for the establishment of the ÖVP-power abuse examination committee.
Before the end of the meeting, the MPs dealt with a referendum against the ORF budget levy as part of the first readings and with a law proposed by the Greens to protect against conversion measures, i.e. practices to change sexual orientation or gender identity. In the third reading, there was finally the green light for a amendment to the administration of the state council for the implementation of the freedom of information in the National Council.
National Council President Walter Rosenkranz finally thanked his 182 colleagues, “who take responsibility with personal commitment and political conviction”. In the summer, an intensive time will follow in the constituencies. There is no trace of “XXL holidays”, as could be read in some media.
Folk request “ORF household levy no”
A first debate found about that Folk request “ORF household levy no” instead of. Exactly 119,368 people reject the ORF household levy introduced on January 1, 2024. The budget levy is “uncomfortable and unfair”, since it also has to be paid for by those who do not consume the ORF at all, the initiators assert: inside around Robert Marshal. In addition, they accuse the ORF not to report objectively, objectively, comprehensively and balanced and thus violate the program order. The referendum was assigned to the constitutional committee for further advice.
Christoph Steiner and Dagmar Belakovich (both FPÖ) welcomed the participation of citizens in the form of referendum. In terms of content, they were also able to gain something from the initiative. Steiner described the ORF as a “grotto bad” and “on the left”, for the latter expression he received an order call. Belakowitsch criticized the ORF for “luxury salaries, government propaganda, gender language and senseless American series”. Sebastian Schwaighofer (FPÖ) spoke of a “forced event”. He asked the question in the room why people had to be forced to the ORF if it really offered the best program. For Elisabeth Heiß (FPÖ) you are forced to pay for something that it is not worth turning on.
Kurt Egger made a dual media location, quality journalism and media diversity and the financing of public service broadcasting from the ÖVP. With the ORF contribution, a constitutional regulation was decided, he emphasized. But it is also clear that the ORF must become more digital, economical and regional. Klaus RASTHEIM (SPÖ) described a strong ORF as “democratic general interest” and positioned itself against any “abolition fantasies”. The government would reform the ORF, but not allow it to become a party policy interests to the game ball, emphasized RASTHEIM. Henrike Brandstötter (NEOS) saw “good points” in the referendum, for example in the demand that the ORF had to become independent of the party. She spoke out for a slim ORF with the best quality at the same time.
Green stopped at ORF, emphasized Sigrid Maurer (Greens). It is also behind the reform, which was decided together in the past legislative period and recently declared compliant by the Constitutional Court. An independent radio is essential for democracy, says Maurer.
First reading on conversion measures protection law
The Greens’ law was assigned to the Justice Committee Protection against conversion measures or conversive-repair practices. These are measures that aim to change sexual orientation or gender identity. If it is based on the Greens, the implementation of such measures should be banned from four groups of people: for minors, in young adults under the age of 21 if a forced position or a lack of judgment, in non-decision-making or defenseless persons as well as if there is a special relationship. A consent of the data subject or their legal representatives: The Greens should not be effective inside. As a punishment for violations, they propose in prison for up to a year or a fine of up to 720 daily rates.
Scientifically recognized treatments of disorders of sexual preference or so -called Paraphili disorders, such as pedophilia or voyeurism, should not be included in the ban. The law should also remain unaffected by professionally well-founded treatment options, the aim of increasing the self-esteem of lesbian, gay, bisexual or non-cisgend persons.
“You Cannot Pray the Gay Away,” repeated David Stögmüller (Greens) a saying that was formulated from the suffering of countless young people who were talked to that they would have to be healed by something that is not a disease. According to a European study, 30 % of LGBTIQ people in Austria have already experienced conversion measures. Attempts to “reverse” people to change their sexual orientation or gender identity are human rights violations, emphasized Stögmüller. Such measures are not therapeutic, but destructive. Stögmüller emphasized that the Greens stand up for more psychological care for young people and are not for operations for transpersons under the age of 18.
Marie-Christine Giuliani Sterrer (FPÖ) was located a “sensitive topic”. Conversion therapies should be rejected, but the question of demarcation has to be looked at closely. No quick shot should happen here. At first glance, the application is an attack on the sovereignty of the family. The state should not intervene in family life. It is about protecting children and adolescents from interventions that can no longer be undone, said Giuliani Sterrer with a view to operations from transpers.
For Nico Marchetti (ÖVP) it is important to discuss factually about such “delicate topics”. Against a ban on conversion therapies, the National Council had already spoken unanimously in the last legislative period. When it comes to transsexuality, gender conversions and hormone therapies, you have to be careful and listen to science, said Marchetti.
Henrike Brandstötter (NEOS) also emphasized the all-party monks against so-called “gay healing”. However, the Greens’ application is not good, full of elitist and had to be revised. Brandstötter wanted to implement what the Greens have not succeeded in finally setting up in the government participation: “Homo healing” finally to abolish so that no “recovery camps” take place next summer. “We should get through to that,” she said.
Mario Lindner (SPÖ) emphasized that conversion therapies have been banned in the medical and therapeutic area since 2019. The problem lies with private clubs, “conspiracy theorists and fundamentalist, religious groups”. You have to put a stop to these practices and the “brainwashing”. In order to distract from the topic, the matter is happy to be mixed with other questions, such as the medically non -necessary operations of intersex children and adolescents, Lindner criticized.
Unanimous consent to the amendment to the administration of the regulations also in the third reading
The National Council finally gave the green light for one proposed by the five parties Novella on the Review Act. As in the second reading on Wednesday, the application for the law also received the approval of all factions in the third reading. The main focus is on adapting the rules of procedure of the National Council to the fundamental right to information or the publication of information from general interest on the Parliament website. Since gog changes between the second and third reading must be at least 24 hours, the last vote only took place today. (Conclusion National Council) Kar/GS
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