After the SPÖ-Vienna advocated facilitating access to citizenship and introducing voting rights for everyone, the ÖVP is now countering. The General Secretary of the People’s Party, Christian Stocker, made it clear in a statement: “Citizenship and the right to vote must continue to be linked to strict requirements. The fact that the SPÖ renews its demand for the careless granting of citizenship and the right to vote every few months does not change that.”
According to Stocker, the SPÖ’s plans are “irresponsible and unthought-out”. That is why the People’s Party clearly rejects the advance of the SPÖ-Vienna. “In view of the dramatically high number of asylum seekers, lax citizenship rules would have devastating consequences,” said Stocker. It would also create new incentives for migrants.
And the ÖVP General Secretary continued: “The fact that the SPÖ is now striving for mass naturalizations shows once again that the party has long since lost the feeling for the Austrians.” The SPÖ is not about Austria, but about the “frivolous Granting of the right to vote” to attract new voters. Stocker’s conclusion: “From my point of view it is clear: Anyone who wants to have a say in Austria must commit to our republic and our values. This is ensured by the applicable rules for acquiring Austrian citizenship.”
