2023-12-04 13:30:33
Several federal states want to adhere to the federal government’s recommendation and increase politicians’ salaries by half inflation. In Tyrol, Vorarlberg, Salzburg and Upper Austria, the salaries of state politicians will rise by 4.85 percent from January. Burgenland, on the other hand, prescribed a zero wage round for its politicians. Carinthia is also going its own way, where politicians’ salaries are set to rise by 9.7 percent – but not until July 2024.
According to the adjustment factor, politicians’ salaries should have increased by 9.7 percent in the coming year in view of the historically high inflation in 2024. However, the federal government has announced a zero wage round for top politicians at the federal level – the Federal President and members of the government, the President of the National Council and club chairmen. Members of the National Council and Federal Council as well as the President of the Federal Council should receive half the inflation compensation of 4.85 percent. There are no guidelines for the states, just a “recommendation” to only increase salaries by half.
Several federal states now want to follow the proposal. The salaries of state politicians in Vorarlberg will increase by 4.85 percent from January. The federal government’s recommendation was followed on Monday in response to an APA request from the office of State Governor Markus Wallner (ÖVP).
Salzburg and Upper Austria are following the same path as announced – despite the internal party discussion within the FPÖ. Federal party leader Herbert Kickl called for a zero wage round at the state level in the summer. Nevertheless, the ÖVP-FPÖ state governments in the two federal states decided to follow the federal government’s recommendations. In the state of Salzburg, the salaries of state politicians will be increased by 4.85 percent, as a spokesman for state finance officer, Governor Wilfried Haslauer (ÖVP), confirmed to the APA on Monday. The increase applies to members of the state government and members of the state parliament. For the mayors in the state there will be the full increase of 9.7 percent. We are now waiting for the federal government’s decision and then – if necessary – the increase in mayoral income will be regulated at the state level, according to Haslauer’s office.
In Upper Austria, the increase of 4.85 percent should also apply to state and local politicians. The OÖVP, together with the Freedom Party, has submitted a corresponding urgent motion for the state parliament session that begins tomorrow, Tuesday, to create the legal basis. The Greens and NEOS have already signaled their approval, reported the Upper Austrian ÖVP club chairman Christian Dörfel in a press release on Monday. This adjustment, which is still well below the inflation rate, is a motivating signal for those who bear responsibility in state and local politics, Dörfel continued.
Even in Tyrol, where state governor Anton Mattle (ÖVP) had been thinking loudly regarding a zero wage round in the summer following demands from his deputy Georg Dornauer (SPÖ), half of the inflation in the salaries of state politicians is compensated. The mayors (with the exception of the state capital Innsbruck) should receive the full increase of 9.7 percent. A coordinated proposal was presented by the state government, as the “Tiroler Tageszeitung” reported on Monday. Salaries are expected to rise to between 335 and 860 euros from January 1st.
The federal government’s recommendations are being followed; it doesn’t believe in “populism,” explained the Tyrolean ÖVP club chairman Jakob Wolf. “It’s half the inflation compensation, which for me is a serious approach and justifiable in terms of content,” said Wolf. However, a resolution from the state parliament is needed: In order for the government’s urgent motion to be voted on in the December state parliament, a two-thirds majority is required there, meaning the black and red parties are dependent on “opposition help”.
In Burgenland, on the other hand, there will be a zero wage round, as announced by Governor Hans Peter Doskozil (SPÖ) in November. This should apply to all state politicians.
Carinthia also follows a special path. Here politicians receive the adjustment factor of 9.7 percent proposed by the Federal Audit Office – although it will not be adopted until July 2024. “In the first half of the year there will be a de facto zero wage round,” said the office of Governor Peter Kaiser (SPÖ) on Monday. It was argued that Carinthia has the lowest salaries for politicians compared to Austria.
In Styria, when APA asked government offices, there was initially no information regarding how the matter was going to be handled.
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