Cut Funding in Half Instead of Collecting It - Why We Want to Reduce Party Funding
Austria continues to face major budgetary challenges. Rising government spending, a significant need for fiscal consolidation, and necessary investments in key areas for the future—such as education, innovation, infrastructure, and competitiveness—are placing increasing pressure on the national budget. It is precisely in such a situation that clear priorities and responsible management of public funds are needed.
Nevertheless, state funding for political parties in Austria remains at record levels. In 2025, more than 266 million euros were allocated to political parties and their parliamentary and state legislative caucuses. Over the course of a legislative term, this amounts to more than 1.3 billion euros.
This is by far the highest level of party funding in all of Europe. On a per capita basis, Austria spends roughly twice as much on political parties as Germany.
The fundamental problem here lies not in the existence of party funding, but in its scale. A functioning democracy needs independent political parties. At the same time, however, the same principles that apply to all government spending must also apply to political parties: efficiency, moderation, and prioritization.
That is why we are calling for a 50% reduction in party funding in Austria. Such a reform would free up more than 130 million euros annually, thereby creating additional leeway for future investments and tax relief.
We have therefore launched a petition to send a clear message: If everyone has to make sacrifices, then politics must not be exempt. Sign now. Let’s cut party funding in half!