The Socialist Youth of Austria (SJ) has filed a criminal complaint against the co-governing Austrian People’s Party (ÖVP) and Integration Minister Claudia Plakolm, alleging incitement to hatred over an Instagram post that noted two-thirds of Austrians currently find co-existence with Muslim refugees to be problematic.
The post was citing the recent findings of the Integration Barometer commissioned by the Austrian Integration Fund (ÖIF).
The study found that 68 percent of respondents believed Austria to be unable to cope with the current influx of asylum seekers, while 72 percent considered the level of integration among newcomers into Western society to be generally poor. Similarly, 66 percent of those surveyed perceived co-existence with Muslims to be poor or very poor.
The ÖVP Instagram post in question included a graphic that asked, “Did you know that two-thirds find living together with Muslims difficult?” The accompanying caption read, “Integration is not an option, it is an obligation.”
SJ chairwoman Larissa Zivkovic said the post crossed from political messaging into criminally relevant hate speech. She accused the ÖVP and Plakolm of deliberately sowing division with anti-Muslim rhetoric in order to distract from broader political failures. “Anti-Muslim hate speech has no place in our society,” Zivkovic said, warning that Muslims, particularly women, were already exposed to daily hostility and exclusion.
Senior ÖVP figures have rejected the accusation. Interior Minister Gerhard Karner said the post did not express a political judgment but quoted the results of a scientific study conducted by a reputable institute. As reported by Exxpress, Karner said the Integration Barometer reflected perceptions that already existed in society and that acknowledging those perceptions was necessary for effective integration policy. “This is not criticism of a religious community, but the result of a scientific study,” he said.
ÖVP Secretary General Nico Marchetti accused the Socialist Youth of attempting to “fight reality with lawsuits.” He said the survey findings were valid and reflected widespread concerns about immigration and integration. Marchetti argued that politicians had a responsibility to address those concerns rather than dismiss them as prejudice, and pointed to surveys among Social Democratic Party members in Carinthia showing strong support for tougher asylum and integration measures. He questioned whether the SJ would also consider legal action against those positions.
Plakolm said she was unconcerned by the criminal complaint, but warned that there were increasing attempts to adopt lawfare to shut down legitimate political debate. She said the public mood captured by the Integration Barometer had developed because of unresolved problems in social cohesion and insisted that integration would only succeed if expectations of newcomers were clear and consistently enforced.
Speaking last week about the government’s new integration program, Plakolm said, “Anyone who wants to live in Austria must fulfill three requirements to be considered successfully integrated: They must have sufficient command of our language, they must integrate into the labor market, and they must prioritize self-sufficiency, abide by our rules and values, and live accordingly. Anyone who rejects this must expect consequences and, conversely, is not welcome in Austria.”
The integration minister has been outspoken about the need for radical reform regarding the integration of Muslims into Austrian society, recently calling the wearing of headscarves by girls oppressive.
“I want girls, regardless of their religion, to have the same opportunities in our free and Western society. And that’s why I see the headscarf for girls under 14 as a sign of oppression,” she told Bild back in September.
