New law brings clarity: politicians can use social media!

New law brings clarity: politicians can use social media!

Vienna, Österreich - On July 9, 2025, the National Council decided to make an important amendment to the social media work of politicians. This new regulation enables employees of ministerial offices to contribute content on the social media pages of politicians without this being considered a party donation. However, a controversial retroactive effect, which was initially provided for in the draft law, was not deleted in order not to influence ongoing procedures, as [tt.com] (https://www.tt.com/artikel/30912009/politiker-und-social-Media-gregation-und

The approval of this regulation was the result of an agreement between the government parties ÖVP, SPÖ, Neos and the Greens. It is a comprehensive legal adjustment that affects both politicians in executive functions and in parliamentary clubs. The new regulation also stipulates that contributions must be clearly delimited from party political content and must be marked accordingly.

criticism and concerns

Despite the broad approval, there are considerable concerns. The freedoms (FPÖ) criticize the new regulation as a "fatal signal" and "judicial scandal", while other parties emphasize that this is necessary clarifications in a previously unregulated area. In the political ranks it becomes clear that the discussion about the appropriateness of this regulation will continue to be controversial.

parallel to the new regulation of the social media work, the National Council has also completed the legislative preparations for the end of the torture. Around 140 mental laws have been adjusted to implement the Freedom of Information Act, which will come into force from September. This obliges the authorities to publish information after the FPÖ and the Greens have also expressed their dissatisfaction with the nature of the abolition of the dismissal.

overall implications

The new regulations on political communication on social media are part of a larger trend that can be observed in Europe and especially in Germany. According to the Federal Center for Political Education, social media enable political and state institutions to reach a mass audience directly without relying on traditional mass media. This has led to a hybrid media system in which citizens, politicians and journalists can interact, such as [bpb.de] (https://www.bpb.de/themen/medien-journalism/social-Medien/545485/Social-Medien- and-die-politischer-und- statelier-Instititäten/).

There is a significant change in the digital space: Citizens can increasingly reach political institutions directly and "Bottom up". This is particularly evident in campaign strategies, where social media have played a central role. Even in the current political discussions it becomes clear that the path leads to transparent and targeted communication via digital channels.

Overall, the decision of the National Council on the new regulation of the social media work of politicians shows both progress and challenges in political communication. With the upcoming introduction of the Freedom of Information Act, access to information for citizens is also significantly improved. The coming months will be crucial to observe how these regulations will have an impact in practice, both for political communication and for citizen participation.

In addition, Susanne Raab (ÖVP) announced her farewell from the National Council, which could further influence the internal dynamics. The State Secretary assured that all preparations will be completed by September.