FPÖ criticism: ÖVP is responsible for asylum chaos and security!

FPÖ criticism: ÖVP is responsible for asylum chaos and security!

The current asylum policy in Austria is increasingly critically questioned. FPÖ security spokesman Gernot Darmann sharply attacked the ÖVP Minister Susanne Plakolm because of her statements about the costs of the minimum security in the asylum system in Vienna. Darmann interprets the criticism as a admission of the ÖVP and refers to the responsibility of previous ÖVP interior ministers such as Johanna Mikl-Leitner, Wolfgang Sobotka, Karl Nehammer and Gerhard Karner, who in 2015 enabled mass immigration through the opening of the borders. This policy has serious consequences: stabbing, rapes, fights and gang crime, according to Darmann's statements, are the consequences that the ÖVP is responsible for.

This acute security situation is reinforced by a recent incident in Villach, Carinthia. On February 16, 2025, there was a knife attack, in which a 23-year-old Syrian refugee attacked several passers-by. Tragically, a 14-year-old adolescent died, five other people were injured. The attacker, who has a valid residence status, had not yet been noticed by the police. As a result, a random meal deliverer was able to drive the attacker with his car and thus initiate his arrest. The police are now investigating whether there is a terrorist background because witnesses reported that the attacker called "Allahu Akbar" during the crime. Political reactions to this incident did not fail to do: FPÖ boss Herbert Kickl called for a rigorosis in the asylum area and spoke of "system failure".

Development of asylum applications

Meanwhile, it turns out that the number of asylum in Austria in 2025 has a significant decline. According to the Austrian integration fund, only 1,500 positive decisions were made in asylum procedures in February 2025, which corresponds to a decline of 68 percent compared to the previous year. This has been the lowest value since the beginning of 2021. In particular, the positive decisions for Syrian asylum seekers have dropped by 98 percent. The majority of the positive decisions fell on Afghans, followed by Somalia and Iranians, while Syrian took fourth place with only 58 positive decisions.

A total of 3,315 asylum applications were made in Austria in 2025, which represents a decline of 26 percent compared to the previous year. 36 percent of the applications accounted for Afghans and 28 percent on Syrians. In addition, 52 percent of the applications concerned children, 33 percent came from newly traveled asylum seekers and 9 percent were within the framework of family reunions. Darmann and the FPÖ have been calling for a suspension of asylum law for years as well as effective measures to secure the limits and the legalization of pushbacks to improve the security situation in Austria and to relieve the overloaded social systems.

This increases the concept of a "fortress Austria", as propagated by Darmann, more and more on a central topic in the political debate and could continue to determine the political agenda in the future.