Percentage of Austrians who want sanctions on Russia to be lifted overtakes embargo supporters

Vienna: A neutral Austria is getting increasingly affected by sanctions imposed by the EU on Russia owing to its dependency on the country for oil and other commodities.

From the very beginning of the war in Ukraine, Austria has been in splits about the imposition of strict sanctions on Russia. A survey has now found that the percentage of Austrians who want EU sanctions against Russia to be lifted has trumped the percentage of people who support the embargo.

As per a survey conducted by INSA – an opinion research institute – 41 per cent of Austrians want sanctions to end, 37 per cent want them to continue while 22 per cent wouldn’t say or did not care about them.

Most rich, old and left-wing Austrians were found to back the EU sanctions. While those who are against it mainly hail from the 60 and up age group. Among the youngest group surveyed (16-29), only 22 per cent supported the embargo and a whopping 39 per cent opposed them.

In terms of income, 24 per cent of those earning less than $1100 wanted the sanctions to continue as compared to 51 per cent of the $4300 income bracket.

Difference in opinions was also noticeable across political parties. For instance, 73 per cent of Austria’s Green Party supporters want the sanctions to continue as usual. On the other hand, 72 per cent of Freedom Party supporters wanted them lifted.

Austria’s rejection of sanctions on Russia

Soon after the war began in 2022, member countries of the European Union began imposing sanctions on Russia for launching its brutal “special military operation”.

However, Austria found itself on the other side of the spectrum. An EU member, Austria has been defending its opposition to sanctions citing dependency on Russian oil.

Its Finance Minister Magnus Brunner told reporters last year, “We are very much dependent on the Russian gas, and I think all sanctions that hit us more than the Russians wouldn’t be good for us.”

He added, “If the sanctions hit yourself more than the other one, I don’t think that’s the right way to go.”

The EU imposed a tenth round of sanctions on Russia in February as the war entered its second year.

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