LINKS (Austria)

LINKS was founded on January 10 and 11, 2020 as a party with a view to the Viennese district and municipal council elections in autumn. Around 400 people took part in the founding meeting held in Vienna Rudolfsheim-Fünfhaus.^[5] The declared goal of the group is to move into the Vienna City Council and all 23 Vienna district councils.^[6] Members of the Vienna KPÖ, the Young Left, Wien anders^[7] as well as organizers of the Thursday demonstrations critical of the government and numerous people who were already involved in the Aufbruch project participated in the founding meeting of LINKS.^[8] In addition, smaller left-wing organizations such as Collective Left^[9] and the Workers Viewpoint took part.^[10] At the founding meeting, principles and an organizational structure were decided, and three speakers and a coordination team were elected.^[11]

LINKS describes itself as an anti-capitalist, anti-racist, feminist and solidary political force.^[12] LINKS advocates a reduction in working hours to 30 hours per week, a minimum wage of 1,950 euros net (27,842 net per year) and "unconditional livelihood security of 1,500 euros for all Viennese – regardless of whether they are unemployed, part-time or work in the household".^[13] For around 30 percent of the Viennese population without Austrian citizenship, LINKS calls for a "right to vote for everyone after one year of residence".^[3] In order to “finance the exit from oil and gas and net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2030”, LINKS demands a “climate tax for all companies based in Vienna based on the subway tax model”.^[14]