It recently came to light that a migrant family in Vienna, consisting of a father, mother, and seven children, receives 4,600 euros per month, including housing assistance.
Dominik Nepp, leader of the Freedom Party (FPÖ) in Vienna, criticized this amount as excessive. The Austrian People’s Party (ÖVP) also joined the debate on Friday, expressing similar concerns. Social Minister Johannes Rauch from the Green Party (Die Grüne) strongly disagreed, calling for a nationwide “new minimum income.”
Nepp expressed disbelief, stating, “I’ve been in politics for years, but this is unprecedented.” During a press conference, he announced plans for a vote of no confidence against Mayor Michael Ludwig and City Councilor Peter Hacker, both from The Social Democratic Party of Austria (SPÖ). Nepp reported receiving numerous angry messages questioning how a family “without contributing anything” could receive more than many full-time workers earn.
Nepp and FPÖ Federal Party leader Herbert Kickl advocated restricting social welfare to Austrian citizens. Nepp vowed to initiate this policy within 24 hours if elected mayor after the Vienna elections 2025. He blamed the Vienna SPÖ for the current situation, arguing that higher social benefits encourage “internal migration” to the capital and support people “who do not want to work because they get more for doing nothing.”
Nepp plans to request a special session of the state parliament and file a complaint against SPÖ City Councilor Hacker for abuse of office. The FPÖ would need support from the ÖVP for the motion of no confidence. “We reserve decisions for the special state parliament session until the last minute,” said the office of ÖVP leader Karl Mahrer in response to an APA inquiry. Mahrer accused the FPÖ of “topic theft,” noting that the ÖVP had highlighted a similar case two years ago.
The case has also outraged the ÖVP, which shares the FPÖ’s demands for reducing “internal migration” and lowering social welfare benefits, as in other federal states. Wolfgang Hattmansdorfer, Upper Austrian Social Councillor and designated Chamber of Commerce Secretary-General, calculated that a family of the same size in Upper Austria would receive only around 2,300 euros.
The federal party echoed these sentiments, with Integration Minister Susanne Raab advocating a five-year waiting period before eligibility for social welfare. She criticized Vienna’s “subsidy policy” as “excessive,” stating, “The amount of Vienna’s social benefits hinders successful integration.”
The turquoise-blue coalition system introduced in 2018 set a maximum limit of around 1,100 euros for a single person, significantly below the poverty line of 1,600 euros. Green MP Markus Koza criticized this system for leading to “a race to the bottom among the federal states” and called for a “comprehensive overhaul.” Pink Party member Nikolaus Scherak supported a reduction, arguing that “the minimum income should incentivize people to work.”
Social Minister Rauch opposed the ÖVP and FPÖ, emphasizing that “social welfare currently almost always falls below the poverty risk threshold.” He stated that it is only paid to those who cannot work and called for a nationwide “new minimum income” to cover people’s basic needs truly. This system should coordinate well with other social benefits and incentivize quick workforce reentry, which is not always the case. Rauch accused the FPÖ of attempting to “dismantle the welfare state once again.”
Volkshilfe responded to the case on X, stating, “There is no question of living in luxury.” According to Statistics Austria, the poverty line for a family with seven children, four under 14, is 6,603 euros. Debt counseling figures suggest a couple with four children needs 5,858 euros per month for a modest lifestyle. With 4,600 euros in minimum income, the family with nine children is well below this. “The scandal is not the Viennese minimum income, but shaming the poor,” said Tanja Wehsely, managing director of Volkshilfe Wien, in a press release.
However, AMS chief Johannes Kopf argued that high transfer payments to large families fuel an “envy debate.” He advocated for replacing cash payments with benefits in kind, such as direct rent payments to landlords or shopping vouchers. Kopf called for a unified social system and a residency requirement. In other federal states, asylum seekers are evicted from their accommodation on the day they receive asylum and then receive 430 euros, which is insufficient for housing. “They move to Vienna, find a bed for 300 euros, and receive 1,100 euros in minimum income.” According to “Heute,” the case became public when the Syrian family attempted to rent a new apartment in Landstraße and had to provide proof of income.
