Austrian Chancellor Stocker apologises for childcare comment

During a stop of his summer tour in Salzburg, Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker said that childcare was not work for him. The remark, made in response to a citizen’s question about the 96 hours per week of unpaid care that women typically perform, triggered immediate protest from the audience and sharp criticism from opposition parties – the Greens, FPÖ, SPÖ and NEOS – as well as from members of his own coalition. Party figures such as Landeshauptmann‑Stellvertreterin Manuela Khom, NEOS spokesperson Gertraud Auinger‑Oberzaucher, and regional leaders Karoline Edtstadler, Johanna Mikl‑Leitner and others denounced the statement as dismissive of women’s labour.

Stocker later issued a public apology, calling his earlier sentence “wrong” and affirming that “childcare is work” and that women’s contribution deserves recognition. A spokesperson reiterated that the chancellor never intended to downplay the effort involved in caring for children. The episode has sparked a broader debate on recognising unpaid care work in Austrian policy.