Many savings – the bad surprises in the budget of Marterbauer

The most important important points at a glance:

• The shortage of Austria must fall to 4.2 percent by 2026.
• The actual Debt reduction until 2029.
• Climate And E-card costs are raised.
• The Forces Must save: the planned increase in the budget has been suspended.
• The Climate falls out in his previous form.

The popular climate is not only abolished for 18-year-olds as a free performance for a year, it is also noticeably more expensive, the subsidy is lower. In two steps in September 2024 and January 2024, the price for the normal ticket is increased by 200 euros. It currently costs 1179 euros, the family ticket has completed 1300 euros. There are now more than 300,000 climatic owners in Austria, another 500,000 have a regional climate.

Service costs for the e-card rises
With the e-card, the service costs will be increased from currently 13.80 to 25. That means: in November 2025 a service costs of 25 euros will be due for the calendar year 2026. Moreover, pensioners will no longer be excluded from paying the service costs from 1 January 2026, they must pay for the first November 2026 for the calendar year 2027.

Finance Minister Markus Marterbauer was proud of a background discussion about the budget on the eve of the speech that a double budget was set up in such a short time. This year 6.4 billion euros will be consolidated netto next year and 8.7 billion euros next year.

However, the implementation will also be just as challenging as the creation. His house will have to look at the fact that the requirements are also met. The minister emphasizes that negotiations with the federal states and municipalities will be particularly high. Savings are already priced here in the budget, but these must first be negotiated.

Martbauer braking plans for upgrading
In particular bitter for the army: the promised budget increases can no longer be represented. Marterbauer literally: “What has already been ordered will pay. The budget increase is planned by 2032 to two percent of GDP 2032 cannot be foreseen. There will be a working group that will advise how this will be financed.” However, the savings requirements were “painful” for all departments, the minister said.

The deficit and debt status are frightening. Both the shortage and the debt rate are slowly falling despite massive savings packages. The renovation is delayed by the high interest payments. The deficit will only fall below three percent in 2028 and Austria will leave the EU deficiency procedure that starts in June or July. Without austerity measures, the shortage would increase by 2026 to 5.9 percent of the economic output. “This is huge and we have never had that,” says Marterbauer.

Almost 100 percent debt speed without a cutback price 2029
He also describes the debt speed as “Extraordinary”, which, despite austerity measures, will increase by 2027 to 87 percent of GDP and lends there until 2029. Only then will the actual debt reduction. Without consolidation, he would reach almost one hundred percent (96.6) in 2029! The minister does not hide the fact that the austerity measures will dampen the economy and that the high tax rate will increase from 44.5 to 45.5 percent.

Marterbauer illuminated the explanation that people hope for savings in the officials. The salary function for 2026 has already been decided and therefore also shown in the budget. But people hope for savings in the following years. He describes the end of the previous government for two years as “unhappy”.

Considerably less money for mobility
In the savings in the individual ministries, Marterbauer clarifies that there is no department that does not save. ” The largest contribution is made by things and mobility with 150 and 179 million euros. But these are also those departments with the total largest budgets. You want to save 90 million euros in the climate and environmental sector, and education is also saved: 81 million euros in budget by financing finances. Minister of Education Christoph Return (Neos) already emphasized that the majority of them are eliminated for the administration, but “team education” in smaller classes is also reduced.

Total over all ministries come in 1.11 billion euros. In 2026, the government will be scrapping the austerity course in the administration and the ministers even have to find more than 1.3 billion euros in their departments. The measures in the individual departments include, for example, shift and evaluation of IT projects, fewer business journeys, lower printing costs. And although there will be no wave of dismissal among the officials, new institutions must at least be postponed or reduced.

Abolition of the largest individual measure of the climate bonus
The government also has a large part of savings in financing. The largest individual measure is the abolition of the climate monus, which illuminates the state budget by 2 billion euros. But even in other places, the previous government has saved everything but saved and generously distributed subsidies that are now being reduced again. Bundestags must be reduced by slightly less than 1.3 billion euros next year. The majority of the environmental sector with 557 million euros, around 330 million euros are available in climate and energy funds. The investment premium for companies will also be reduced by 130 million euros this year. Such a measure will also have an impact on the economy, says Marterbauer.

The politician hopes for a new major savings in the educational leave, this year there will be 240 million euros next year, including SV contributions, even 650 million euros. The pensioners will also be asked at the cash register, but the savings will only work from 2026. Then the range must contribute to 633 million euros to the austerity course, for example by limiting the age pension, an employment package and changes in the corridor pension.

In addition to the many output measures, Marterbauer has also implemented a few tax increases. The Energy Industry will pay for a special contribution of this and next year 200 million euros each in the state of Cassa, the banks 350 million euros. The abolition of exemption from sales tax on PV systems raises 175 million euros and higher taxes come to gambling and tobacco. This year, Marterbauer promises a little more than a billion euros through tax measures, and next year it must be 2.2 billion euros.

Cold progression returns 2026
In the future, income taxpayers will have to contribute some of them. Because the cold progression returns. The wage tax levels are only adjusted to two -thirds, the third third is the state for budget consolidation and therefore generates 440 million euros. The planned fraud package is even more vagabid, the finances want to collect 270 million euros through a difficult crime procedure.