Austria defends its top rating

The Austrian government plans to enshrine a debt limit in the constitution in a bid to defend the country's top credit status with the rating agencies. However for the debt brake to be passed into law at least one opposition faction must vote in its favour. The left-liberal daily Der Standard sees above all the Left under pressure to act: "The left-wingers who are now trying to stir up opposition against the debt brake bill with ostensible 'social arguments' are in reality afraid of the inevitable confrontation. They fear they will be the losers. But why should it be taken for granted that the social conflict over a sensible, efficient and just state without a debt dead-end is a lost cause from the outset? Or in other words: can only getting deeper and deeper into debt guarantee a social state, one that can also implement anti-cyclical growth strategies? If that's the case, then Good Night."

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Who's saying what » Ways out of the debt crisis

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