Austria Welcomes 2025 with Traditions and Milestones

Austria Welcomes 2025 with Traditions and Milestones

Image: APA/WIENER PHILHARMONIKER/DIETER NAGL

 

As the New Year was ushered in across Austria, the Vienna Philharmonic marked the occasion with its traditional New Year’s Concert.

Broadcast live both in Austria and around the world, the event was conducted by Italian maestro Riccardo Muti, taking the baton for the seventh time.

This year’s programme paid tribute to Johann Strauss Jr., the composer of the famous “Blue Danube,” celebrating his 200th birthday. It also featured works by his father, Johann Strauss Sr. For the first time, a piece by a female composer, Constanze Geiger’s “Ferdinandus Waltz,” was included, marking a move towards greater diversity in the concert.

Welcoming Austria’s New Year’s Baby

The title of New Year’s Baby 2025 went to Luisa from Styria, born at 12:05 a.m. at Murtal Hospital in Judenburg. Weighing 3,680 grams and measuring 54 centimetres, both the newborn and her mother were reported to be in good health, according to the Styrian Hospital Association.

Marie, born at 12:44 a.m. in Carinthia’s St. Veit an der Glan Hospital, came second, while Upper Austria welcomed Arman from Steyr just five minutes later. Vienna’s first baby of the year, Karolina, was born at St. Josef Hospital in Hietzing at 12:50 a.m.

Austria’s EU Anniversary

Austria also marked the 30th anniversary of its entry into the European Union, a milestone shared with Sweden and Finland. The occasion recalls a time of widespread optimism, as membership spurred economic growth and stronger ties with European neighbours.

The journey began on 17 July 1989, when Foreign Minister Alois Mock formally submitted Austria’s application to join the European Community, as it was then known. Formal negotiations then began on 1 February 1993, following endorsements by the European Council and Commission. On 1 March 1994, Mock, often called “Mister Europe,” declared: “Austria’s path to Europe is clear.”

Political Debate and Referendum

Not everyone was on board with EU membership. The far-right Freedom Party (FPÖ), led by Jörg Haider, initially supported joining but later opposed it, citing fears of too much control from Brussels. The Green Party, then under Peter Pilz, and smaller leftist groups also voiced opposition.

On 4 May 1994, the European Parliament approved Austria’s membership, setting the stage for a national referendum. Held on 12 June 1994, the vote saw a decisive two-thirds majority (66.6%) in favour of joining, with 33.4% against.

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