Intense clash in the Austrian parliament: SPÖ and FPÖ exchange sharp accusations
The Austrian National Council witnessed intense tension after the Freedom Party (FPÖ) launched a sharp attack on Vice Chancellor Andreas Babler for his absence from parliament to respond to 34 urgent questions. He was represented by State Minister Michaela Schmidt, but FPÖ deputies expressed their anger at his absence.
FPÖ leader Dagmar Belakovic harshly criticized Andreas Babler for failing to fulfill his promises, including the bank tax, a four-day work week, reducing VAT, and rent caps. She stated that his 'impressive' plans have yielded nothing and described his housing policies as disastrous, expecting that the proposed rental measures will have very little impact.
The FPÖ also accused the government of ignoring the rising operating costs that are driving up rents. According to Dagmar Belkovich's calculations, the current measures will save the average tenant about two euros a month, reflecting a loss of credibility in the government's work. At the same time, State Minister Michaela Schmidt defended the administration, pointing to ongoing measures to combat inflation and the so-called 'Austrian additional fees.'
The leader of the SPÖ parliamentary group, Philipp Kucher, used his speech to criticize FPÖ leader Herbert Kickl and his failures during government negotiations. He criticized nepotism and mismanagement of the budget, pointing out that Kickl demanded more positions than Harald Maher, which contributed to political failures. Kucher also criticized FPÖ's measures to combat inflation as ineffective compared to SPÖ's commitments.
The Secretary General of the FPÖ, Michael Schnedlitz, accused Philipp Kucher of delivering a "carnival speech" full of accusations and slanders. He confirmed that the FPÖ has presented more legislative proposals than the government combined, claiming that the public supports the party's ideas, portraying the SPÖ's attacks on Kickl as political rather than objective.