She took what she saw as a failed summit in the Ministry of Social Affairs on Monday as an opportunity to announce a special session of the National Council, including a motion of no confidence in the government. However, she is not the only one: Her opponent Andreas Babler presented seven points against inflation in the afternoon.
motion of no confidence?
“It’s five past twelve,” Rendi-Wagner warned in a broadcast. “If the federal government is not able to finally take price-cutting measures against the record inflation in Austria, then the SPÖ will bring a motion of no confidence against the entire federal government at the special session.” The SPÖ leader called for a rent cap, the abolition of VAT on staple foods and the establishment of an anti-cost-of-living commission. These measures could be implemented immediately.
Babeler: 7 points against inflation
Traiskirchen’s Mayor Babler fought again with the means at his disposal. On Monday afternoon he presented the campaign “Intervene now – stop greed inflation”. His seven points against inflation will not meet with resistance in social democracy:
- To rent should not increase at all this year and 2024, after that by a maximum of two percent.
- For staple foods and energy, it should price controls “Purely profit-oriented” price increases should be banned. The yardstick is the average profits of the years before inflation. “We are not petitioners” to corporations, said Babler.
- He also wants them VAT reduced to daily necessities for a limited period of time.
- To this come a energy price cap, Free public transport for commutersdie increase in unemployment benefits and 800 euros basic security for children.
To counter-finance his measures, Babeler wants to introduce a wealth tax (5 billion euros) and an inheritance tax (650 million euros) and reverse the Köst reduction (1.9 billion euros).
Babler supports Rendi-Wagner’s motion of no confidence, but he expects that the SPÖ will not get a majority for it. Further campaigns are therefore necessary, because “we don’t have a majority in parliament, but we do have a majority in the population,” said Babler. A “big week of action” is to start on May 22nd, “I hope everyone is there, from Pamela Rendi-Wagner to Hans Peter Doskozil,” said Babler, who once again left open what he would do in the event of a narrow defeat in the voting on the party presidency would do. However, withdrawing from the SPÖ “would never occur to me”. A very close vote, in which the candidates each get about a third of the votes, would be the worst possible result from his point of view.
