37% of Vienna's population is stateless... Is the solution to facilitate naturalization or to implement "mass deportation"?
Vienna is facing a growing citizenship debate after new figures showed that more than one-third of its residents do not hold Austrian nationality, raising questions about whether the solution lies in easier naturalization or mass deportation.
A controversial comment by guest writer يوهانس هوبر reignited public discussion on integration and citizenship policy in Vienna. New data revealed that naturalizations in the capital rose by 39 percent last year, reaching 5,078 cases, according to Statistik Austria (Austria’s national statistics office), as reported by APA (Austrian Press Agency).
Despite the increase, the figures remain low compared to Vienna’s population reality. Around 750,000 residents in the city do not hold Austrian citizenship, meaning approximately 37 percent of Vienna’s population are non-citizens. This rate is considered very high by European standards.
Responsibility for naturalization rules lies at the federal level. The conservative ÖVP (Austrian People’s Party) supports strict criteria, arguing that citizenship must be “earned through effort,” while the SPÖ (Social Democratic Party) in Vienna favors making the process easier. The commentary suggests that difficult requirements discourage many foreign residents from applying, weakening integration and their sense of belonging. Non-citizens also lack voting rights and, if male, are not called for military or civil service.
The article warns against calls for “Remigration” (a term used by right-wing groups to mean mass deportation), arguing instead for deep reform of integration and naturalization policies. It proposes keeping clear and strict rules but making them achievable within a few years and at reasonable cost. It also cautions that mass deportation rhetoric creates fear and instability, even among well-integrated migrants, and could harm Vienna’s economy and society, especially in sectors such as research, international companies, and healthcare.