Austrian legislative election issue questionnaires, 2008

Three different organisations sent questionnaires to the parties competing in the 2008 legislative elections in Austria, seeking answers to various policy questions; the questions and answers are set out in this article.

Wahlkabine

The internet platform wahlkabine.at (Wahlkabine means "voting booth"), which has offered a decision support for state elections, national elections and European Parliament elections in Austria since 2002, sent a questionnaire consisting of twenty-six questions on political positions to the SPÖ, the ÖVP, the Greens, the FPÖ, the BZÖ, the LIF, the FRITZ and the KPÖ; all parties except for the FRITZ replied with their answers (shown in the following table).^[1]

Question	SPÖ	ÖVP	GRÜNE	FPÖ	BZÖ	LIF	FRITZ	KPÖ
1. Should wealth be taxed more in Austria for the fight against poverty?	++	–	+++	––	––	+++	Ø	+++
2. Should fathers receive complete compensatory wage increases (Lohnausgleich) if they stay at home for one month following the birth of their child?	++	–	+++	––	––	+		––
3. Should delinquent people who do not have Austrian citizenship be deported irrespective of their prior length of stay?	––	–	–––	+++	+++	––		–––
4. Should the Austrian Armed Forces with their universal conscription be transformed into a professional army based on volunteers?	––	––	––	––	++	+++		––
5. Should university tuition fees once more be abolished?	+++	––	+++	++	–	+++		+++
6. Should a general basic income be introduced in Austria?	––	––	+++	–––	––	+++		+++
7. Should important decisions on the EU (such as the accession of Turkey to the European Union, the Reform Treaty, ...) be subject to a referendum in Austria, even if there is no referendum in the whole European Union?	+++	+	++	+++	+++	–––		+++
8. Should a comprehensive school for teenagers aged 10 to 14 (Gesamtschule) be introduced in Austria?	+++	––	++	–––	––	+++		+++
9. Should the names of sex offenders be recorded in a register and released to the public in Austria?	––	++	––	+++	+++	––		––
10. Should Austria tighten the criteria for the humanitarian right to stay (such as health, family situation, education)?	––	–	–––	+++	+++	––		–––
11. Should freight traffic on Austria's streets be reduced through a higher lorry toll?	++	+	+++	––	–	+		+++
12. Should art which is socially controversial be subsidised with government funds?	++	+	+++	––	+	+++		++
13. Should the consumption of "soft drugs" (weiche Drogen) such as hashish and marijuana be prosecuted?	+	++	–––	+++	++	–		––
14. Should the number of seats in the Austrian National Council (parliament) be reduced due to cost concerns?	–	–	–	++	+++	–		–
15. Should people with higher incomes be obliged to contribute more to the Austrian health system (for instance through an increase of the Höchstbeitragsgrundlage?	+++	––	+++	––	–––	+++		++
16. Should Austria spend public funds to procure information about so-called "tax refugees"?	+	–	+++	+	–	–		–
17. Should video surveillance of the public space (such as plazas, public buildings and transport etc.) expanded even more in Austria?	+	++	–––	++	+++	––		––
18. Should a general smoking ban be imposed in gastronomy (such as restaurants and cafés)?	++	––	++	–––	–––	–		–
19. Should education camps for delinquent juveniles be established in Austria?	––	–	–––	+	–	––		–––
20. Should Austria spend more money on development assistance?	+	+	+++	–	–––	++		++
21. Should long-term unemployed be obliged to render charitable services?	––	+	–––	––	++	––		–––
22. Should children born in Austria automatically receive the Austrian citizenship?	––	–––	+++	–––	–––	–		+++
23. Should the age of retirement be adapted automatically to the development of life expectancy to ensure the working of the pension system in the long run?	–––	++	–––	–––	–––	–		–––
24. Should the possibility of termination of pregnancy through health insurance certificate (Krankenschein) be offered in Austria?	–	–	+	–––	––	++		+++
25. Should homosexual couples be able to adopt children in Austria?	–	–––	++	–––	–––	++		++
26. Should private transport be relieved through a reduction of the mineral oil tax?	––	–	––	+++	+++	–		–––
+++ strongly in favour ++ in favour + slightly in favour – slightly against –– against ––– strongly against Ø refused to participate

Politikkabine

The internet platform politikkabine.at (Politikkabine means "politics booth") offered a similar questionnaire of twenty-six questions, to which nine of the lists contesting the election nationwide (all parties except Save Austria) replied.^[2]

Question	SPÖ	ÖVP	GRÜNE	FPÖ	BZÖ	LIF	FRITZ	KPÖ	RETTÖ	DC
1. Should child care places be offered in all of Austria free of charge for children aged 1 to 3?	–	+	+	–	+	+	+	+	Ø	–
2. Should university tuition fees be abolished?	+	–	+	+	–	+	+	+		–
3. Should the comprehensive school (Gesamtschule/Neue Mittelschule) (consolidation of Gymnasium and Hauptschule up to the ninth school year) be implemented nationwide?	+	–	+	–	–	+	+	+		–
4. Should the age of retirement be adapted automatically to the rising life expectancy and increased?	–	+	–	–	–	–	–	–		+
5. Should the state compensate rising food prices through a one-time payment (inflation bonus)?	+	–	+	–	+	–	–	+		–
6. Should home care subsidies be increased yearly according to the rate of inflation?	–	–	+	+	+	+	+	+		+
7. Do you favour a consolidation of the regional public health insurance companies (Gebietskrankenkassen)?	–	+	+	+	+	+	–	–		–
8. Should children of immigrants without sufficient knowledge of the German language be taught in separate "foreigners' classes" ("Ausländerklassen")?	–	–	–	+	–	–	–	–		+
9. Should Austria regulate immigration through a Green Card for highly trained employees?	–	–	+	+	+	+	+	–		–
10. Should penalties be imposed on states which do not accommodate a certain number of asylum seekers as agreed between the federation and the states?	–	+	+	+	–	+	–	–		–
11. Should there be a public register of sex offenders?	–	+	–	+	+	–	–	–		–
12. Should there be a tax reform even if it results in new debts for the state?	–	–	+	+	+	–	+	–		–
13. Should VAT on food be reduced?	+	–	–	+	+	–	+	+		–
14. Should the maximum tax rate be increased?	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	+		–
15. Do you favour a referendum on a new or modified EU treaty?	+	–	+	+	+	–	+	+		+
16. Should the number of seats in the National Council be reduced?	–	–	–	+	+	–	–	–		–
17. Should the positions of interior minister and/or justice minister be staffed with experts independent from political parties?	–	–	–	–	+	–	–	–		–
18. Should speed limits and driving bans be imposed in areas afflicted by high fine particulate air pollution?	+	+	+	–	–	+	+	+		+
19. Should politics intervene regulatively in the price of sale of petrol and diesel?	+	+	–	+	+	–	+	+		–
20. Do you favour the option of termination of pregnancy through health insurance certificate (Krankenschein)?	–	–	+	–	–	+	+	+		–
21. Should homosexual couples be allowed to marry in a civil ceremony?	+	–	+	–	–	+	+	+		–
22. Do you favour positive discrimination (such as conscious preference for women or disabled people) in the job market to facilitate equal job opportunities?	+	+	+	–	–	+	+	+		–
23. Should there be a smoking ban in public venues?	+	–	+	–	–	–	+	–		+
24. Should the EU cease accession negotiations with Turkey?	–	–	–	+	+	–	+	–		+
25. Should Austria continue to take part with soldiers in EU missions?	+	+	+	+	–	+	+	–		+
26. Should Austria withdraw from the EU?	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–		–
+ in favour – against Ø refused to participate

Wiener Zeitung

The Wiener Zeitung had a similar service called Wahlmaschine ("election machine"); all parties replied with their answers to the thirty questions.

Question	SPÖ	ÖVP	GRÜNE	FPÖ	BZÖ	LIF	FRITZ	KPÖ	RETTÖ	DC
1. Every party represented in the National Council is a potential coalition partner.	––	++	––	++	++	––	o	––	––	++
2. There is a lack of sufficient measures against capitalism in Austria.	––	––	++	o	++	––	++	++	++	++
3. The economy in Austria is hindered by too much regulation.	––	++	o	++	o	++	++	––	++	++
4. A possible tax relief should come into force on 1 January 2009.	++	––	++	++	++	++	++	++	++	++
5. A capital gains tax should be introduced.	++	––	++	––	––	++	++	++	––	––
6. Higher earners should profit from tax reform, as well.	––	++	++	++	––	++	++	––	o	++
7. Federalism is too expensive in Austria.	––	o	o	––	o	++	––	++	++	––
8. The states of Austria should levy taxes for all their expenses by themselves.	––	––	o	––	++	o	––	––	++	o
9. The rich do not pay enough taxes in Austria.	++	––	++	++	++	++	++	++	++	o
10. An unconditional basic income for all should be introduced.	––	––	o	––	––	++	o	++	o	––
11. Only those who have demonstrated their willingness to work should receive a basic income.	++	++	––	––	––	––	++	––	++	––
12. Homosexual couples should be able to marry at the civil registry office.	++	––	++	––	––	++	o	++	––	––
13. There should be a widow's/widower's pension for homosexual couples, as well.	++	++	++	––	––	++	––	++	––	––
14. Homosexual couples should be allowed to adopt children.	++	––	++	––	––	++	––	++	––	––
15. A constitutional law should provide for a binding referendum on the accession of Turkey to the European Union.	++	o	o	++	++	––	++	––	++	++
16. A constitutional law should provide for binding referendums before every new EU treaty.	++	––	––	++	++	––	o	++	++	++
17. Altogether Austria profits from the fact that we joined the EU.	++	++	++	––	––	++	++	––	––	o
18. Instead of the motorway permit sticker a kilometre-dependent car toll should be introduced.	––	––	++	––	––	++	++	++	o	++
19. Nonsmoker protection should be strengthened even more.	++	o	++	o	––	o	++	––	––	++
20. People who consciously live unhealthfully should contribute more to the financing of the healthcare system.	––	o	––	––	––	++	––	––	++	++
21. Kindergarten attendance should be compulsory after the fifth year of life.	++	++	++	––	++	++	++	++	++	––
22. The federation, the states, municipalities, chambers and the ORF should commit themselves to an absolute stop to increases of fees for two years.	––	o	++	++	++	++	++	++	++	o
23. When prices rise to unprecedented levels, that state should intervene.	++	++	++	++	++	––	++	++	o	––
24. University tuition fees have to be abolished.	++	––	++	++	––	++	++	++	o	––
25. The comprehensive school for teenagers aged 10 to 14 (Gesamtschule) should be introduced nationwide and compulsorily.	++	––	++	––	––	++	++	++	++	––
26. Under-performing civil servants should not be protected from being sacked.	––	––	o	++	++	++	––	––	––	o
27. Foreigners who have been handed unconditional sentences should be deported immediately.	––	o	––	++	++	––	++	––	++	o
28. People who live here legally should be allowed to work, as well.	++	o	++	––	––	++	++	++	++	o
29. Asylum seekers should have to wait in camps for the decisions on their asylum requests.	––	––	––	++	++	––	o	––	––	o
30. As the life expectancy grows, so should the age of retirement be postponed.	––	o	––	––	––	++	––	––	o	++
++ in favour + rather in favour o neutral – rather against –– against

References

1. http://wahlkabine.at/nrw2008
2. http://politikkabine.at/nrw/parties.php