Half an hour before the budget debate began, umpteen media representatives had gathered in front of the plenary hall in the Hofburg to watch Sebastian Kurz’s arrival. In the plenary hall at the same time, the focus was not on the ex-chancellor, VP head and neo-club chairman, but on a simple member of parliament: the turquoise club serenaded Wolfgang Gerstl’s 60s.
Before that, Kurz had drawn attention to himself: in a Facebook video that was circulated in the morning, he again asserted that he did not want to be “a shadow chancellor”. He described the past few days as an “emotional roller coaster ride”. That people had “particularly high expectations” of the Chancellor in terms of his choice of words, “I understand,” he said about the chat messages. But he is “not a robot, but a person with mistakes, with emotions” and “formulations that I would not use publicly”, which he “regrets” too. Once again, however, Kurz denied the relevance of criminal law – which the investigators see differently.
For the time being yesterday was short ?? focus on new role as VP club chairman. Surrounded by cameramen, shortly before 9 o’clock he walked to his future seat next to Vice Club Manager August Wöginger, Finance Minister Gernot Blümel (VP) was the only one from the turquoise-green ministerial team to sit on the government bench. Federal Chancellor Alexander Schallenberg was in Brussels, Vice Chancellor Werner Kogler (Greens), who was formally representing him, was also missing. Michaela Steinacker had to vacate her seat in the first row for Kurz, and federal farmer Irene Neumann-Hartberger had to cede her mandate to him.
Shortly before the start of the meeting, there was a welcome round – in addition to VP MPs, he also greeted Green Club boss Sigrid Maurer, SP boss Pamela Rendi-Wagner, Neos boss Beate Meinl-Reisinger and FP boss Herbert Kickl with a handshake. Then the formula of the pledge was read out, Kurz confirmed in a loud voice: “I promise.” He was denied the usual applause for newly sworn mandataries from the opposition ranks.
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“Hoit die Goschn”
Everyone had to be patient until the ex-Chancellor spoke for the first time: Kurz was 37th out of 38 speakers. The previous club boss Wöginger, who will probably continue to manage day-to-day parliamentary business in the future, was the first turquoise to answer the microphone. And during his speech a scandal immediately happened: After persistent heckling from the opposition, the mayor of Mödling, Hans Hintner (VP), broke the collar: “Hoit die Goschn”, he shouted towards the FPÖ and SPÖ. A call to order from his party colleague, President of the National Council, Wolfgang Sobotka, was not given – Sobotka did not seem to have heard Hintner’s outburst.
The ÖVP and the Greens heard some criticism of the budget. FP club boss Kickl also dealt with Kurz ?? Change to parliament. He reminded him of the formula of the pledge, according to which he had to observe the laws and constitution of the republic, “and not with a telescope”. Kickl further etched: “It’s just not the case that every absence that ends after three days is also a resurrection.”
Kurz was not deterred by the attacks and praised the advantages of the budget in his speech: “Our goal was to ensure that everyone now benefits from the upswing.” That is guaranteed with the tax reform, which relieves small and medium incomes, families, pensioners, but also the economy. The ecological aspect “does not come with a mallet”, but the tax reward for environmentally friendly behavior “we owe to creation and our environment,” said Kurz.
He exceeded the six minutes he was entitled to by a long way, shortly after the end of the debate on the first item on the agenda of the ten-hour plenary session, the former Chancellor left the room – which in turn drew criticism from the opposition ranks.
Budget: There is a lack of justice for the opposition
The opposition saw little good in the budget presented by Finance Minister Gernot Blümel (VP) on Wednesday.
SP leader Pamela Rendi-Wagner was the first to speak out in the budget debate yesterday, especially missing investments in the care sector. In the difficult phase of the pandemic, the government would have emphasized the importance of the nursing staff, “now it has apparently gossiped,” said Rendi-Wagner. In the care sector only 25 million more are budgeted in 2022, but 1.5 billion euros for the economy, for example through the reduction in corporation tax: This is evidence of “forgetting about the future”, she criticized. Rendi-Wagner also spoke of a “missed opportunity” to use the budget to set the course for future challenges.
FP club boss Herbert Kickl considers the budget to be a “sham,” the tax reform lacks social justice, as it only brings a minimum pensioner 50 cents a day.
SP budget spokesman Kai Jan Krainer also complained with reference to minimum pensioners a lack of justice, for example with the climate bonus, where Viennese minimum pensioners receive a flat rate of 100 euros, but high earners in the country up to double that. “Where’s the social justice?” Asked Krainer.
Neos club boss Beate Meinl-Reisinger also shot at the tax reform, which people “actually pay for themselves”. She criticized that the cold progression will not be abolished again.
Green club boss Sigrid Maurer tried to dispel the criticism: “We invest, we modernize, we reform”, she saw progress in almost all areas. She did not want to leave Rendi-Wagner’s accusation that investments in the care sector were being made, she said.
As the core of the eco-social tax reform and green success, it represented CO2 pricing, which makes it possible to “promote climate-friendly behavior”.
