Vienna municipal council discusses integration, freedom of the press and funding

Vienna municipal council discusses integration, freedom of the press and funding

Wien, Österreich - On March 26, 2025, the members of the Vienna municipal council dealt with various important topics that affect both local politics and international relations. GR Maximilian Krauss (FPÖ) expressed concerns about the funding amount of 456,000 euros for the Bruno Kreisky Forum for International Dialogue Association, especially in times when the city has to save. Krauss also pleaded for a non -partisan design of the board and the program of the association.

grin Katharina Weninger (SPÖ) supported the funding amount and emphasized the importance of freedom of the press and social exchange. She criticized the FPÖ for her application, which aims to prevent the EU digital act, which is supposed to fight hatred and populism. Other votes in the municipal council were also against the opposition's application, which was finally rejected.

Integration policy and asylum matters

GR Stefan Berger (FPÖ) spoke out against subsidies for integration clubs and demanded faster asylum procedures. He emphasized that integration was a debt of the immigrants and also called for increased police presence in Vienna. Grin Mag. Berivan Aslan (Greens), on the other hand, supported the integration clubs and advocated a democratic orientation, while criticizing the rule of law in Turkey and demanding a clear attitude of the mayor, in view of the instrumentalization of young people in Turkey

grin Mag. Dolores Bakos (NEOS) emphasized the importance of integration funding and spoke out for help for self -help. She condemned attacks on democratic means and supported protests against the arrest of oppositional in Turkey. Against the background that over three million Syrians live in Turkey, these discussions have been in the refugee deal between the EU and Turkey in 2016, which led to a reduction in irregular migration. Over 89% of the Syrians in Turkey do not want to return, while 89% of the Turks want this, which illustrates the tense social conditions.

opposing views and social tensions

The debates in the municipal council also reflect the split public opinion. Current surveys show that 71% of the Turks regard refugees as a security risk and 80% feel Syrian refugees foreign. These views can be observed in the middle of an economic crisis and growing social tensions. While the EU facility for refugees in Turkey has improved the situation of many Syrian refugees, political and social integration remains problematic, since many refugees work in the informal sector and live in precarious conditions.

In a worrying reality, the EU-Turkey migration situation shows that the return of Syrian refugees in turbulent homeland and continuing pressure on integration into society in both Turkey and in Europe. These topics will continue to be the focus of public and political discourse.

The changing dynamics of refugee policy not only record the European discussion, but are also present in the social and cultural debates in Vienna.