On Thursday, SOS Mitmensch kicked off the latest edition of its “Pass Egal” (Passport Irrelevant) election. This symbolic election allowed not only those eligible to vote in the National Council to participate but also approximately 1.5 million people of voting age who could not cast a ballot on September 29 because they lacked Austrian citizenship.
At a press conference on Thursday, SOS Mitmensch Chairperson Zeynep Buyraç emphasized, “We are here today because 1.5 million people who contribute to and sustain this system are being consciously ignored.” Buyraç, an actress from Turkey, could not vote in Austria for many years. The initiative is intended to highlight Austria’s relatively low naturalization rates and challenge the practice of tying voting rights exclusively to citizenship.
Increasingly Native-Born Population Affected
In addition to proving sufficient German language skills—which, in Buyraç’s case, was not automatically met despite earning a degree in Vienna—and passing a naturalization test, many face financial barriers on their path to citizenship. “I needed a net monthly income of 1,380 euros after rent. Forty percent of employees do not meet this requirement,” Buyraç explained.
Fewer than seven out of a thousand people living in Austria without citizenship are naturalized, noted SOS Mitmensch spokesperson Alexander Pollak. This rate is double in Germany, and the EU average is four times higher. Without policy changes, according to a projection by SOS Mitmensch, one-third of the population could be ineligible to vote by 2064. In Vienna, this scenario could occur even sooner, with half the population potentially losing voting rights.
Nearly half of the 1.5 million disenfranchised individuals have lived in Austria for over ten years, with one-fifth having resided there for two decades and a “steadily growing portion” having been born there. Demographer Anne Goujon argues that the exclusion from national elections exacerbates divisions and fosters an “us versus them” mentality.
Election Results Due September 24
Leading up to the National Council election, SOS Mitmensch will operate up to 70 mobile voting booths across Austria, with around 100 schools also participating. Voters in this symbolic election can choose from all parties on the National Council ballot. The results will be announced on September 24. The “Pass Egal” election has been held for ten years, during all National Council elections and some state and presidential elections. This year, organizers anticipate a record number of participants, following the involvement of individuals from 95 different countries in the last election.
The ÖVP has firmly opposed the idea of decoupling voting rights from citizenship. On Thursday afternoon, Vienna’s state party leader Karl Mahrer criticized the “Pass Egal” election, warning against what he called the “dangerous signal” sent by such actions, asserting that the fundamental democratic right to vote should not be undermined.
If you want to cast your symbolic vote, learn the parties here.
