Inflation, immigrants in focus ahead of Austrian polls

Vienna - Rising prices and immigration are emerging as key topics in Austrian general elections due September 28, with right-wing parties expected to win up to 25 per cent of votes. Shortly after Social Democratic Chancellor Alfred Gusenbauer stepped down as party chief in June, the conservative People’s Party (OVPe), the junior partner in government, announced the end of the coalition and called for early parliamentary elections.

Starting into the short campaign, several political parties held their opening rallies over the weekend.

Werner Faymann, new head of the Social Democratic Party (SPOe), renewed his call for halving the sales tax on food from 10 to five per cent, in order to help people affected by inflation.

The measure, which Faymann would like to be passed by parliament before the polls, was necessary “so that purchasing power gets stronger again,” Faymann said at a rally on Friday.

“We won’t wait until an economic downturn”, he told a crowd of 3,000 party members in Vienna.

Source:
Inflation, immigrants in focus ahead of Austrian polls
earthtimes.org