Federal President hosted an open house at the on the national holiday. During the event, he expressed support for changing the nation's citizenship law after a conversation with an eleven-year-old child attendee.
The child questioned why individuals born in Austria do not automatically receive citizenship. Van der Bellen clarified that current laws do not grant automatic status by birth, as citizenship is primarily acquired through descent from an Austrian parent.
The President indicated he would support a new regulation where children born in Austria automatically become citizens. This potential shift would move the country away from its strict descent-based system toward a birthright-based citizenship model.