Members of the Austrian parliament’s Constitutional Affairs Committee have unanimously endorsed the government’s new National Strategy against Antisemitism 2025–2030 (NAS 2.0), sending the report to the plenary after a debate with State Secretary Alexander Pröll.
The strategy outlines eight areas of action and 49 measures aimed at protecting Jewish life in Austria, combating antisemitism in all its forms, and preserving the memory of the victims of the Shoah. It builds on the country’s first national strategy adopted in 2021 and will run until 2030.
In the report’s foreword, Federal Chancellor Christian Stocker stresses that the surge of antisemitism following the Hamas attack on Israel on 7 October 2023 highlighted the urgency of strengthening Austria’s response.
“The challenges have unfortunately not diminished but increased,” Pröll told MPs. “Since October 2023 we have witnessed a new form of antisemitism that is more open, more aggressive and increasingly digital.” He noted that antisemitic incidents in Austria have reached record levels.
The committee took note of the report unanimously and, at the request of the conservative Austrian People’s Party (ÖVP), also unanimously forwarded it to the parliamentary plenary.
The NAS 2.0 strategy places particular emphasis on improving reporting and monitoring systems, strengthening the protection of Jewish individuals and institutions, ensuring effective prosecution of antisemitic offences and closing legal gaps.
Education also plays a key role. The government plans to further develop school organisation and culture so that educational institutions can respond more effectively to antisemitism.
Another priority is the digital sphere. Authorities intend to strengthen civil society resilience against antisemitism online and in the media, including by establishing an official social-media presence dedicated to communicating the strategy and its initiatives.
Among the other measures foreseen are:
- expanding integration programmes for asylum seekers and beneficiaries of subsidiary protection to include a declaration against antisemitism;
- introducing antisemitism as a mandatory cross-cutting topic in integration courses;
- launching an examination process for a possible Austrian Holocaust museum;
- creating a documentation centre within the Federal Chancellery;
- continuing empirical research on antisemitism commissioned by parliament;
- strengthening the antisemitism research working group at the Austrian Academy of Sciences.
The strategy also foresees initiatives at European and international level to promote Jewish culture and combat antisemitism, as well as interfaith dialogue projects. Another initiative under consideration is a handbook for recognising right-wing extremism in football.
Responding to MPs’ questions, Pröll said the government was also considering amendments to the Austrian-Jewish Cultural Heritage Act. He added that tackling antisemitism online would require coordinated European action, including closer cooperation with online platforms.
The committee also discussed a report on European Union initiatives with Europe Minister Claudia Bauer. The report was approved by a broad majority, with the far-right Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ) voting against.
Austria supports EU initiatives aimed at strengthening democratic resilience, including the proposed European Democracy Shield to counter foreign interference and disinformation.
According to the report, key topics for the European Council in 2026 will include the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, migration, Europe’s competitiveness, defence and security, EU enlargement and negotiations over the next Multiannual Financial Framework.
Bauer stressed that Europe must remain “strong and capable of action” in light of geopolitical challenges. She also highlighted the European Commission’s efforts to reduce administrative burdens on businesses through so-called omnibus legislative packages.
The minister reiterated Austria’s support for a merit-based approach to EU enlargement, particularly with regard to the Western Balkans.
“We must not lose sight of the Western Balkans,” Bauer said, adding that progress is important for the EU’s credibility. Austria is promoting a concept of gradual integration, including the possible extension of the EU’s roaming-free zone to Western Balkan countries.
Looking ahead to negotiations on the next EU budget, Bauer said Austria considers the European Commission’s proposed volume of €2 trillion to be too high. Vienna will prioritise maintaining its national rebate and insists on a fair distribution of financial burdens among member states.
Austria also remains opposed to joint EU debt, she said, while remaining open to new EU own resources provided they do not impose additional costs on citizens.
On combating disinformation and election interference, Bauer said the European Democracy Shield would be “of the highest priority” for the EU in the coming years.
