NEOS Vienna: New faces and fresh ideas for the local council!

NEOS Vienna: New faces and fresh ideas for the local council!

Today the constituent meeting of the local council and state parliament was held in Vienna City Hall, at which the Vienna NEOS presented their new team for the coming five-year legislative period. Selma Arapović was elected club chairwoman, while Markus Ornig and Stefan Gara act as her deputies. A new club director, Philipp Blass, was also appointed. The NEOS achieved a pleasing result of 10% in the last Vienna election, which led to an increase in the town hall club. These successes, complemented by the continuity of Vice Mayor Bettina Emmerling and six other MPs from the last term, show the voters' trust in NEOS and the continuation of the coalition with the SPÖ.

The agenda included important points such as the swearing in of 100 local councilors and the election of city councilors. Mayor Michael Ludwig of the SPÖ made a government statement outlining the goals of the new coalition. This comprises a total of 191 pages and is called “Resurgence Coalition”. In response to the current challenges, it is intended to provide economic stimulus and strengthen social cohesion in Vienna. The new government program also forces politicians to develop suitable measures for the digitization and expansion of the urban infrastructure.

The new faces and areas of responsibility

The NEOS are once again introducing fresh faces in this legislative period. New to the team are Jing Hu, Maria In der Maur-Koenne, Lukas Burian and Arabel Bernecker-Thiel. Jing Hu, who was the first NEOS candidate to be elected to the local council with a basic mandate, brings her expertise as a pharmacist and restaurateur. Maria In der Maur-Koenne, a lawyer with political experience, will work in the areas of labor, media and transparency. Lukas Burian, Channel Manager in the ÖGK's digitalization program, is particularly committed to the rainbow community. Arabel Bernecker-Thiel is a political scientist and will focus on migration policy.

A strong coalition program

The coalition of SPÖ and NEOS, which includes 53 of 100 seats in the local council, has set itself ambitious goals. According to Mayor Ludwig, Vienna wants to establish itself as “Austria's economic engine” and plans to apply to host the Eurovision Song Contest in 2026. Other key points include the climate target, climate neutrality by 2040, and the expansion of photovoltaics and geothermal energy. Promoting the German language in kindergartens and improving the childcare ratio in the event of staff shortages are also part of the program.

The planned measures also include the expansion of urban cycle paths and the creation of new green spaces. Furthermore, a “Vienna Integration Code” is being developed to define clear rules for living together. These decisions are part of a comprehensive plan to strengthen the city and promote social justice.

Overall, today's meeting shows that an exciting political time lies ahead in Vienna. The NEOS have prepared well for the new challenges and appear ready to work together with the SPÖ to implement their plans to make Vienna fit for the future. In this way, the city not only delivers tangible things, but also visions that are intended to sustainably improve life in the federal capital.