An overwhelming majority of Austrian MPs voted on Thursday to force their citizens to get vaccinated against Covid-19, with those who refuse facing fines of up to 3,600 euros ($4,000).
After 137 MPs voted for compulsory vaccination and only 33 opposed, the bill now heads to the upper house to be debated and approved. As Austria’s governing parties – a coalition of the center-right People’s Party and the Greens – hold a majority in this chamber, its passage is virtually guaranteed.
The right-wing Freedom Party was the only party to oppose the mandate in parliament.