Austria National Council passes law to ease deportation of foreign criminals

The Austrian National Council has approved a legislative amendment designed to facilitate the deportation of foreign criminals from prison to their home countries. The reform aims to alleviate overcrowding in correctional facilities and reduce the burden on judicial and prison staff.

Under the new regulations, which are set to take effect on November 1, foreign offenders may be deported after serving a minimum sentence, even against their will. The law also promotes the concept of ‘imprisonment in the home country’ for EU citizens. However, the reform includes exceptions: early deportation will not be permitted for individuals convicted of serious violent crimes, sexual offenses, or terrorist activities.

The measure passed with support from all parliamentary factions except the Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ). The FPÖ opposed the reform, arguing that early release combined with later incarceration undermines general prevention. Other political representatives criticized the FPÖ's stance, suggesting the party's opposition was a populist calculation rather than a solution to the systemic issues of prison capacity and personnel shortages.