A “softening” of citizenship is “out of the question” for the ÖVP, Chancellor Karl Nehammer clarified on Sunday. He sees no reason why the current practice should be changed.
After the question regarding Austria’s neutrality, Chancellor Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) see another debate over: that of the re-running Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen naturalization simplifications brought into play. There will be no softening of citizenship with the ÖVP, “that’s out of the question,” he said.Crown newspaper“. The co-governing Greens have stated that there will be no changes.
According to the “Krone”, Nehammer sees “no reason why the current practice should be changed”; According to the Chancellor, the Greens have already made a commitment during the government negotiations that there will be no changes in the question of citizenship law. The ÖVP boss does not understand why this topic is now coming up in the presidential election campaign, writes the newspaper.
Rejection also from Karner and Zadić
In interviews with “Kleiner Zeitung” and “Presse” a few days ago, the Federal President spoke out in favor of facilitating naturalization when he announced his re-candidate in autumn: The hurdles for obtaining citizenship are “too high”. One might also discuss, for example, the deeper meaning behind the fact that, for example, a German who has lived in Austria for 20 years does not get dual citizenship.
The “Krone” quoted Nehammer on Sunday as saying: “Let’s not pretend that everyone has to wait 20 years for naturalization. Under certain conditions, naturalization is possible for a large proportion of people following 6 to 10 years.”
Wifo boss for less rigid regulations
Previously, Interior Minister Gerhard Karner had said on the part of the ÖVP regarding the push by Van der Bellen, who came from the ranks of the Greens, that he saw “no need for change”. Justice Minister Alma Zadic (Greens) said that the government program does not provide for anything like this. The FPÖ also reacted with rejection.
Wifo-Chef Gabriel Felbermayr is in favor of less rigid regulations when acquiring Austro citizenship. He sees more of a democratic issue than a labor market issue, as he said in the ORF “Press Hour”, “but overall the question arises as to what the welcoming culture is like in this country. We will meet in the next few years have to scramble for talent. There will be competition.” Austria, where there is a shortage of skilled workers, will “have to make the location attractive” because competition will penetrate from management down to the broader labor market. “That means that a more generous handle can help with citizenship,” said the economist.
(APA)