Positions of the National Council candidates from the Braunau district

Tipps asked Andrea Holzner from the ÖVP, Andreas Peterlechner from the SPÖ, Wolfgang Pohler from the FPÖ, David Stögmüller from the Greens and Friedrich Bauchinger from the NEOS about their most important goals in the region on the topics of climate protection, migration, the labor market and education.

Andrea Holzner (ÖVP)

Climate protection: Climate protection with common sense includes technology-open approaches and incentives instead of bans. Grid expansion and storage technologies are now the most important step for the electrification of the economy and transport. Approval procedures must therefore be accelerated.

Migration: Without legal residency, only essential benefits in kind should be available. We need employees in many areas. These should be specifically recruited with the Red-White-Red Card. Our guiding culture must be recognized.

Labor market: What is important to me is targeted training and further education for employees and a better balance between family and work. Work must be worthwhile – hence tax relief, degressive unemployment benefits and incentives for longer working hours.

Education: So that everyone can develop their talents, I am committed to the expansion of elementary education, as well as to our diverse school system, to teaching, including free master courses, and to excellent technical colleges and universities.

Andreas Peterlechner(SPÖ)

Climate protection: The storms in the summer showed how great the pressure on us to act is. The climate change is an opportunity for the location through green technologies. Climate change is also a social issue. Those who own yachts and private jets produce more CO2.

Migration: We must seriously look for solutions instead of unsettling people with agitation and empty promises. We need a short asylum procedure and a European distribution. Compliance with our laws is a prerequisite for integration.

Labor market: Good educational opportunities and decent pay ensure skilled workers. Small and medium-sized businesses need better support. We could immediately eliminate long-term unemployment with concepts such as Christian Kern’s Action 20,000.

Education: I am committed to childcare from the first year of life in the Braunau district. Even in rural areas, work and family life must be compatible. Every child must learn German. Nationwide, investments in higher education are investments in the future.

Wolfgang Pohler (FPÖ)

Climate protection: Climate protection must be tackled with common sense and must not be sacrificed to any ideology. The switch to electric mobility, for example, must go hand in hand with the needs of the people in our country and must not overburden them, especially in rural areas where everyone needs their vehicle for daily life.

Migration: Migration should be stopped in its current form. There are already too many refugees in our country who do not qualify for refugee status. In my opinion, they must be sent back home to safe countries.

Labor market: The job market has been desperately looking for skilled workers for years. Unfortunately, workers who are willing to work overtime are penalized by the tax system and this is exactly what needs to be abolished so that young people in our country can more easily earn their own home.

Education: Education is a central and important point in a performance-oriented society. It is of enormous benefit to all children if they master the German language before starting school, so that they can follow lessons and master the subject matter by the end of the school year.

David Stögmüller (Greens)

Climate protection: The climate crisis is the political challenge of our time. In order to protect our Innviertel nature and our soils in the long term and to further reduce the CO2 balance, we must push ahead with the gradual phase-out of fossil fuels.

Migration: Austria’s economy and the health sector are suffering from an enormous shortage of skilled workers. With successful integration, immigration to Upper Austria offers an enormous number of opportunities for a more diverse coexistence with increasing prosperity for all.

Labor market: The transformation of our economy away from oil and gas offers incredible opportunities for Upper Austria and creates thousands of jobs. By reducing working hours to 35 hours, we are also creating better conditions for everyone.

Education: Our expansion initiative for kindergartens and schools invests in the future of Upper Austria’s youth. Our plan for all-day, shared schools ensures that everyone can fully exploit their potential and contribute to society.

Friedrich Bauchinger (NEOS)

Climate protection: NEOS is committed to the expansion of renewable energies and sustainable mobility concepts. We are in favor of a revenue-neutral CO2 tax, want to reduce soil sealing and promote climate-friendly innovations in order to make the Innviertel even more livable.

Migration: We need qualified immigration to address the shortage of skilled workers. Asylum seekers should be given easier access to the labor market – this also promotes integration and reduces social spending.

Labor market: The ÖVP has been in government for 37 years – the result: excessive bureaucracy and a stagnating economy. Employees cost too much, but have too little net income from gross. We demand relief for the economy, which creates jobs.

Education: NEOS want a modern school system with the best educational opportunities for everyone, more school autonomy and a legal right to childcare from the first birthday. An opportunity index should support schools with greater challenges and ensure equal starting opportunities, regardless of the parents’ home.