Human rights in danger: Greens warn of Chancellor's soloors!

Human rights in danger: Greens warn of Chancellor's soloors!

Wien, Österreich - On May 27, 2025, the political debate in Austria is struggling towards the topic of European human rights. Chancellor Christian Stocker apparently plans to go out to the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) alone. These measures encounter resistance within the government and in opposition parties.

Alma Zadić, deputy club chairwoman of the Greens, criticizes the Foreign Minister, who has so far been rather quiet in this debate. Zadić points out that the minister calls for compliance with the ECHR in her travels, but does not speak against the coalition partner who questions the standards. Agnes-Sirkka Prammer, human rights spokeswoman for the Greens, also criticizes the silence of Vice Chancellor Babler, who had previously emphasized the inconsistencability of human rights.

resistance to Chancellor's advance

Within the coalition, however, there are also voices of the opposition. Some MPs from SPÖ and NEOS face the Chancellor's push. However, these critical voices are considered inadequate. The Greens have announced that the National Council plenum be submitted to an application to ensure compliance with the ECHR and the ban on torture.

In addition, there is a joint letter from nine EU countries that require a change in the interpretation of the ECHR. The motives for this advance lie in the facilitation of the expulsion of foreign criminals. This initiative is described by the SPÖ as "very problematic". Petra Bayr, chair of the foreign policy committee in the National Council, emphasizes the independence of the case law and indicates that the interpretation of the ECHR is reserved for the courts, especially the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR).

political pressure on the judiciary

also Stephanie Krisper from the Neos criticizes Chancellor Stocker's push as a "single -gear" and questions the political call to independent dishes. European Minister Claudia Plakolm, on the other hand, supports the discussion about the interpretation of the ECHR and emphasizes the need to be able to deport off -scale asylum seekers. Plakolm points out that the ECHR is part of the Austrian constitution, which restricts the current regulations for the expulsion. In addition, the ECHR can be claimed after the end of the domestic legal process to decide on violations of the Convention on Human Rights.

The discussion about the ECHR is not new. Since its signing in 1950, the basic civil and political rights have been protected in Europe. Human rights protection in Europe has its roots in the ideas of the Enlightenment and was further expanded after the Second World War. The Council of Europe, an organization to strengthen the rule of law and human rights, monitors compliance with the ECHR. Complaints can be submitted by states and citizens, whereby individual complaints are often more successful.

The ECHR has constitutional rank in Austria and plays a central role in the European legal system, especially with regard to human rights. The ECHR remains the highest instance for human rights in Europe and also has the task of reviewing EU law for agreement with the ECHR, which significantly influences the legal situation in Austria. The debates about the interpretation and application of the ECHR show that the protection of human rights requires constant attention and adjustments.