Opposition party Anders has proposed measures to tackle the budget deficit that could save €16.7 billion.
The federal government is currently aiming for budget cuts of €5 to 7 billion, though updated figures from the Monitoring Committee are awaited. Anders, however, has presented a plan to reduce the federal deficit to 2.63% with measures totalling €17 billion.
One major change proposed by Anders is to eliminate the annual growth target for healthcare spending, currently set above inflation. The Liberals suggest setting this target to 0%, which would save €4.5 billion annually by 2029, while the healthcare budget would still rise to €47.2 billion.
The party also recommends increasing patient contributions for doctor visits. It proposes raising the co-payment to €10, or €5 for those eligible for increased financial assistance, generating €2.6 billion in savings. Anders argues the fees have remained unchanged for over a decade, and too many people qualify for extra financial support, making doctor visits “excessively cheap.”
Another suggestion is replacing only one in three retiring civil servants, excluding police and military positions. This measure could save an estimated €1 billion by 2029. Additional proposals include transferring the payment of unemployment benefits from trade unions to another entity, taxing union premiums, and cutting the administrative costs of healthcare funds.
A striking feature of the plan is to involve regional governments in managing the national debt. Anders proposes they shoulder a quarter of the debt burden, either through interest payments or a proportionate share of the debt itself.
The party also points to €3.8 billion in missed savings on policies that the government has failed to implement, though it firmly opposes a VAT reform included in that package. Lastly, Anders suggests rationalising the use of justice and police buildings to save €300 million annually.
