People's request is booming: 13,686 euros for 100,000 signatures!

People's request is booming: 13,686 euros for 100,000 signatures!

Österreich - In Austria, the registration week for referendum is currently underway, which enables citizens to actively participate in political will formation. By April 3, 2025, a total of three referendums are available for signature that can be supported online or at municipal offices. These are: "No to the ORF household levy", "Autovol's request" and "stop the referendum enrichment". In addition to these, there are 34 other referendum to support, including suggestions such as "End Smart Meter Dictatorship" and "Free Contraction".

A referendum must collect at least 100,000 signatures in order to reach the Austria -wide implementation. If a referendum reaches this goal, the submitted 13,686 euros will receive from the taxpayer cash registers. However, the costs for the processing of these procedures by the authorities are not included in this sum. The financial incentives for the initiators are a central aspect of the debate about referendums in Austria, some of which are viewed as a business model.

legal framework conditions

referendums can be signed regardless of the main residence in any municipality or online at Austria.gv.at . An ID Austria or an EU login is required for online signing, and Austrians abroad also have the option of giving their support online. It is important that for participation in a referendum, the persons entitled to vote on the last day of the registration period are registered in the voters of a municipality.

The majority of the laws in the National Council result from government templates, which must previously be decided unanimously by the Council of Ministers. These templates are created on the basis of ministerial designs that are developed by the responsible federal ministers. This process shows the importance of citizen participation, which takes place through referendum and the opinion on ministerial designs. As part of a pre -parliamentary assessment procedure, citizens can give statements on the designs that can then be incorporated into the revision of the bill.

referendum and their social effects

A large spectrum of referendum shows that the population in Austria wants to actively be involved in the political discussion. Topics such as the abolition of summer time or leaving the WHO show the diversity of the concerns that are brought up by the citizens. It is crucial that these concerns are taken seriously and taken into account in the political process.

Ultimately, participation in referendum is not only a right, but also a duty for everyone who is interested in the design of their political reality. The upcoming elections and the ongoing referendums offer an excellent opportunity to contribute to Austrian democracy and to raise your own voice.

For more information about citizen participation and referendum, interested parties can visit the pages of the parliament where comprehensive data and procedures are explained.