No more than 100 days is Heinz Christian Strache as Austrian Vice chancellor in office, since FPOe chief can already redeem his most important election promise: In Austria's coffee and inns may be furr smoked. Just as he demanded after national elections last October as a irrefutable condition in coalition negotiations with great election winner ÖVP.
This blue smoking success was preceded by a long-standing policy of protection of smokers in gastronomy. In 2015, n government partners of ÖVP and SPÖ finally decided by law that locales must be smoke-free. The corresponding law should enter into force on 1 May 2018. But now everything is different: On Thursday National council toppled law. Instead, as black and blue members have decided, everything remains same: re is a so-called "basic" smoking ban in gastronomy – but with so many exceptions that in practice ashtrays are almost everywhere on Tables.
But expected storm of joy among blue Qualmhütern remained. No cheers in ir own cause, no poses in which arms, beer humps or even glow stems in liberal tradition were torn into heights. During a large interview show, with which Chancellor Sebastian Kurz and vice-chancellor Strache moved through country after decision, y grazed smoke question at most on sidelines and gave mselves both buttoned and non-committal.
The ÖVP has long been aware of fact that it has been a disservice with concession to FPOe. In a country that is on tobacco control scale of European Cancer League, which evaluates government measures to reduce tobacco consumption, occupies last of 35 places, almost 550,000 people already have don't-smoke petition for non-smoker protection Signed. Unusually many for state of Austria, where eight million people live and where direct democracy has no great weight.
According to a survey by Institute unique Research, 71 per cent of Austrians want a binding referendum on ban on smoking in gastronomy – a wish which is thus even shared by a slight majority of FPOe voters. This does not mean that voters would n also decide against cigarette in beer or coffee gossip. But population obviously wants to be involved in this issue, which has been quite emotionally held for months.
Date Of Update: 24 March 2018, 12:03
