The Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ) is intensifying its push to tighten citizenship laws as thousands of asylum seekers are on track to apply for Austrian nationality. Party leader Herbert Kickl wants to extend the current 10-year waiting period for naturalization to 15 years, aiming to prevent migrants who arrived during the 2015 refugee crisis from gaining citizenship anytime soon.
Kickl firmly stated, “Asylum means temporary protection! Our citizenship is a high asset, not a gift for everyone,” highlighting the FPÖ’s belief that Austria’s immigration policies have been a “pull factor” for asylum seekers, encouraging more people to seek refuge in the country.
The Austrian People’s Party (ÖVP) has expressed support for the FPÖ’s proposal, which would delay thousands of pending citizenship applications. However, while both parties agree on migration issues, they have hit a roadblock in coalition talks, particularly over the allocation of key government posts.
The FPÖ is demanding control over the Federal Chancellery, along with the finance and interior ministries, as well as a new position covering EU affairs and deregulation. The ÖVP, however, considers control over these ministries non-negotiable, which has caused the negotiations to stall.
In the proposed government structure, the ÖVP would oversee seven ministries, including foreign affairs and education, while the FPÖ would take charge of six ministries, including health, social affairs, and the crucial finance and interior departments.
If a coalition agreement is reached, the two parties plan sweeping policy changes. These include faster deportations, stricter language requirements in schools, and a headscarf ban for teachers. They also aim to raise taxes on tobacco products, electric vehicles, and solar panels to boost state revenue, while the FPÖ pushes to increase the highway speed limit to 150 km/h on certain routes.
Additionally, the FPÖ seeks budget cuts to the national broadcaster ORF, proposing a reduction in its annual funding from €700 million to €500 million, with the long-term goal of abolishing the ORF budget tax by 2026.
