Coalition tightens social assistance rules
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A new social assistance law has been agreed upon, standardizing child welfare benefits and tightening eligibility rules across the federal states. The government is presenting the reform as a necessary balance between poverty protection and labor incentives, though the result is a reduction in support for some families and an increase for others.
From a war zone in Ukraine, former Chancellor Karl Nehammer has dismissed claims by the FPÖ that he is avoiding a parliamentary inquiry, calling the accusations surreal. Back at home, the People’s Party is facing a rebellion from its own regional branches, while university students have taken to the streets to protest budget cuts.
The army has announced a plan to recruit more female soldiers, though it admitted that a lack of space in domestic barracks may prevent it from actually enlisting them. Elsewhere, the public broadcaster ORF is cutting jobs and its talent roster, and the government is reviewing new legislation against strategic lawsuits known as SLAPPs.