Vienna Mayor Michael Ludwig has defended his administration by describing the capital as “one of the largest and most successful metropolises in Europe,” even as official figures paint a starkly different picture.
A recent report from the Public Employment Service (AMS) shows Vienna has the highest unemployment rate in Austria. Statistics Austria further notes that the city, together with Carinthia, carries the country’s highest public debt. Meanwhile, youth crime has surged dramatically, and Vienna records the highest proportion of children needing special support at school, including those with little or no German.
Despite these figures, Ludwig praised Vienna’s development, claiming that the city—once considered “grey” in the 1970s and 80s—has successfully modernised. He credited migration with keeping the economy functioning, insisting that “people with a migration background” are essential to the city.
His remarks have provoked strong criticism from the Freedom Party (FPÖ).
FPÖ leader Dominik Nepp pointed to the growing presence of youth gangs “from the Arab world,” loitering groups in parks, and increasing numbers of women wearing headscarves. He argues Vienna has become “less safe and less fair,” adding that “Völkerwanderer” receive more than working people and that the system must change.
