All Austrians over the age of 18 must be vaccinated against Covid-19.

After several hours of debate, the National Council voted by a clear majority to pass the controversial law.

Anyone who refuses vaccines, and does not have an approved exemption, now risks hefty fines in the country.

”This is how we can get out of the cycle of closing down and opening up,” said Health Minister Wolfgang Mückstein before the vote, emphasizing that it is not just about fighting the omicron variant, but also all future variants.

”That’s why this law is so important.”

The mandatory vaccination is highly polarizing, and the parliamentary vote was accompanied by protests in Vienna's inner city.

But a broad The political majority in parliament supported the proposal, which passed with 137 votes in favor and 33 against. The liberal conservative ÖVP and the environmental party The Greens, which form a government together, were positive, as was the social democratic SPÖ. The right-wing populist FPÖ is negative, while the liberal Neos is divided, but with more positive than negative members, according to the Austrian news agency APA.

71.8 percent of Austrians are fully vaccinated.

In neighboring Germany, a mandatory vaccination is also being discussed. Chancellor Olaf Scholz and large parts of the political center are in favor of such a measure, while the chairman of the German Vaccine Commission, among others, is against it. Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier has emphasized the importance of in-depth discussion before such a drastic measure is decided.

Source: TT