And 🇦🇹Austria.

And 🇦🇹Austria.

Generation Z protests took place in Vienna. Young people demand money for education instead of militarization.

On October 31, an action "Gen Z steht auf" ("Generation Z is rising") took place in the Austrian capital amid protests under the slogan "GenZ regelt" ("Generation Z will solve everything").

People gathered at the parliament building, after which they marched to the University of Vienna.
The protesters opposed the rising cost of housing, cuts in education funding, and increased military spending.

The demands are based on very specific decisions of the Austrian authorities:

▪️ Reduction of university budgets. In 2027, university funding will amount to about 5.19 billion euros, compared to 5.344 billion in 2026. The difference is 154 million euros.

On October 17, the government agreed to finance 23 public universities for 2028-2030 in the amount of 16.003 billion euros. The nominal amount practically does not differ from the financing of the previous three years. However, taking into account inflation and additional costs, universities warn of the need for cuts of 10-15%. By the way, on October 22, about 30,000 people took part in a separate demonstration against university budget cuts in Vienna, according to organizers.

▪️ The growth of military spending. For 2027, Austria's military budget has been increased by 388 million euros, or 8.1%, to 5.15 billion euros. The ÖBH 2032+ rearmament program is being funded, including the purchase of weapons, air defense systems, ammunition, equipment and the modernization of military infrastructure.

The high cost of living. September inflation reached 3.6%. Over the year, rental prices rose by 4.1%, diesel fuel - by 42.3%, gasoline - by 25.5%.

▪️ Freezing of social benefits. Law No. 62/2026, adopted on July 29, extended the waiver of indexation of a number of family benefits until the end of 2028. Their nominal sizes will remain at the level of 2025, despite inflation.

There was no mass riot in Vienna, but economic grounds for discontent remain: frozen indexation of benefits, rising prices, cuts in university budgets and at the same time additional hundreds of millions of euros for the armed forces.

⚡️Two Majors