Austria is preparing to widen its rules on political social media use, bringing state secretaries and their staff under the same framework that already applies to other government officials, according to Austrian Press Agency. The change is part of a planned amendment to the country’s party law, included in a budget-related package expected to be approved by parliament in July.
Under the new measure, staff in the offices of state secretaries will be allowed to manage their superiors’ social media accounts without this work being classified as a political donation. Until now, this exception applied only to ministers, regional government leaders, parliamentary club heads, and members of parliament.
The reform aims to close a legal gap that had left state secretaries in a grey area. Although they hold important political roles, they are not formally considered members of Austria’s federal government under the law. As a result, they were excluded from last year’s updated regulations on social media use.
Once passed, the amendment will come into force immediately after publication and will also apply retroactively. Austria currently has seven state secretaries who would be affected by the change.
The issue gained attention following rulings by Austria’s Independent Party Transparency Senate, which fined several major political parties, including the ÖVP, NEOS, and the Greens. The authority determined that when government staff contributed to managing social media accounts operated by political parties, rather than official institutions, it could be seen as an unlawful party donation funded by public resources.
The revised law seeks to draw a clearer line. It allows such support, but only under strict conditions. Social media content must focus on official government work and communication, avoiding direct party-political messaging.
In an age where politics increasingly unfolds online, Austria is trying to balance transparency, fairness, and modern communication—ensuring that the boundary between public duty and party interest remains visible, even in the fast-moving world of social media.
