2013 Austrian conscription referendum

November 2022 November 2022 gov Austria 20 January 2013 a) Are you in favor of the introduction of a professional army and a paid voluntary social yearorb) Are you in favor of maintaining general conscription and community service? Professional army General conscription 1,315,278 1,947,116 82,226 6,378,628 Austrian Referendum 2013.svg Results by district A non-binding referendum on ending conscription was held in Austria on 20 January 2013. The proposal was supported by the Social Democratic Party and the Green Party and opposed by the Austrian People's Party and the FPÖ.Austrians vote to keep compulsory military service BBC News, 20 January 2013 Though constitutionally not obligated to act on, both parties in government stated that they would honour the results.Austrians Appear to Reject Changes to Conscript Army New York Times, 20 January 2013 The motion to end conscription and introduce a professional army was rejected. Background Austria is one of the few members of the European Union to still retain compulsory military service, with others in 2013 including Cyprus, Estonia, Finland and Greece. Service in the Austrian Armed Forces is mandatory for all Austrian males older than 18, with around 22,000 males annually being drafted into six months of service in 2012.Austrians keep conscription – DW – 01/20/2013 https://www.dw.com/en/austria-votes-in-favor-of-retaining-conscription/a-16535795 2024-01-03 dw.com en Conscription in Austria however allows conscripts to opt-out of military service and instead choose civic and community service as an alternative.Battle begins – DW – 09/07/2012 https://www.dw.com/en/will-austrian-conscription-get-marching-orders/a-16225294 2024-01-03 dw.com en Conscripts in the armed forces support efforts during natural disasters.2013-01-19 Ja - zu Wehrpflicht, Zivildienst und Katastrophenschutz http://www.oevp.at/wehrpflicht/index.aspx?pageid=63342 2024-01-03 https://web.archive.org/web/20130119074530/http://www.oevp.at/wehrpflicht/index.aspx?pageid=63342 19 January 2013 Positions Parliamentary parties Social Democratic Party (SPÖ) Norbert Darabos, then current Ministry of Defence, supported the proposal saying that conscription was outdated in a modern world with counterterrorism and cybercrime, with the shift of the armed forces into a professional army as being necessary due to change in threats. Austrian People's Party (ÖVP) Johanna Mikl-Leitner, the Minister of the Interior, criticized the proposal, calling it a "2-billion-euro castle in the sky", due to the perceived cost of creating a professional army. The ÖVP viewed conscription as essential to protecting Austrian sovereignty, and in supporting natural disaster relief efforts and social security. It also saw that a professional army would decrease the armed force's quality and increase its cost. ÖVP would come to view the referendum as being more about social and health security in Austria then about conscription. Other organizations Katholische Jungschar: the organization's chairperson Noemi Müller,Kostenlos, anonym - bald Geschichte? Rat auf Draht muss bleiben! - Katholische Jungschar ED Wien https://wien.jungschar.at/ueber-uns/pressemeldungen/kostenlos-anonym-bald-geschichte-rat-auf-draht-muss-bleiben/ 2024-01-03 wien.jungschar.at expressed mix feelings towards the referendum, stating their opposition to conscription but their reluctance to end the compulsory civic service that came with conscription. Results thumb|300px|Anti-professional army protesters outside the Austrian Parliament Building on 11 December 2012. 1947116 1315278 82226 6378478 Ministry of the Interior References Category:Referendums in Austria Conscription Austria Category:Conscription in Austria Category:Conscription referendums Conscription