However, the governing parties ÖVP and Greens need a two-thirds majority for this. At least in today’s committee this was achieved with the additional votes of the SPÖ. The FPÖ, however, stuck to its no, and the NEOS also expressed skepticism.
“A vacancy tax with the aim of mobilizing more living space has long been a demand of the SPÖ. Living space should be there for living and not for the profits of real estate speculation,” said SPÖ constitutional spokesman Jörg Leichtfried. The FPÖ maintained its negative stance. “We libertarians are not available for political placebos instead of serious housing policy,” said FPÖ building spokesman Philipp Schrangl in a broadcast. The vacancy levy will develop into a “bureaucratic monster”.
“Clarification of competence law”
Furthermore, the vacancy tax for the FPÖ and the NEOS is equivalent to a wealth tax, it was said in the parliamentary correspondence on Wednesday. NEOS MP Johannes Margreiter also expects that a far-reaching vacancy levy will not stand up before the Constitutional Court because there is no general rental obligation.
Constitutional Minister Karoline Edtstadler (ÖVP) has admitted that the specific design of vacancy taxes will not be easy for the states. However, the amendment is a “clarification of competence law”.
