Austria Vice‑Chancellor Andreas Babler drives anti‑inflation agenda

Vice‑Chancellor Andreas Babler told an Ö1‑journal that the government's budget is tight and that Social Democratic Finance Minister Marterbauer must implement a socially fair austerity plan. He defended a proposed messenger‑monitoring law as constitutional and said the administration would also tackle the unregulated housing market.

SPÖ party secretary Michael Schnedlitz criticised Babler, accusing him of presenting the government's handling of inflation as a success despite rising prices. He called the VAT reduction on selected food items “a drop in the bucket” and described the fuel‑price brake as a “complete failure”, saying the measures would add bureaucracy and burden families, pensioners and other earners.

SPÖ federal secretary Klaus Seltenheim highlighted Babler’s anti‑inflation programme, citing a 50 % cut in VAT on basic foods, the fuel‑price brake, reduced electricity tariffs, a rent brake, an energy‑crisis mechanism and expansion of renewable energy. He said the government had earmarked €1.5 billion for inflation‑dampening measures and noted that inflation fell in June, attributing the decline to these policies.