In Styria, Austria, the Freedom Party (FPÖ) plans to ban “gender-inclusive language” in public administration as part of a coalition government with the Conservative People’s Party (ÖVP).
FPÖ leader and incoming State Governor Mario Kunasek announced the move on December 17, explaining it aims to make official documents clearer and easier to understand.
Kunasek stated, “We want to live [with] equality of the sexes, but it has to be possible to write documents without genderised language.” The FPÖ argued that attempts to modify German nouns—traditionally using a generic masculine form—have created confusion. Efforts to combine genders with new punctuation styles (e.g., “journalist*in” or “journalist:innen”) have been criticized for making texts unintelligible, especially for non-native speakers.
This proposal is part of a broader coalition agenda. The agreement includes reducing social security benefits for large families, following public outrage over reports of high payouts to non-working families, such as a Syrian family receiving €4,600 monthly in Vienna. Kunasek remarked, “It makes a difference whether you work for your income or receive money from the state.” He also announced a new agency to investigate social security fraud.
Other priorities include combating “political Islam” by banning religious garments like headscarves in public administration while allowing items like necklaces with crosses. Kunasek emphasized the goal of maintaining a neutral civil service. Additionally, the coalition plans to end “car-owner bashing” and prioritize renovating rural roads.
While supporters of the FPÖ back the language ban and other measures, critics argue the focus on “political correctness” risks alienating segments of the population. For now, Styria’s incoming government appears determined to press ahead with these controversial reforms.
