At the beginning of 2025, Austria was shaken by a tragedy: in the centre of Graz, a gunman opened fire on passersby, killing three people and injuring nine others.
Society once again faced an uncomfortable question: how can we balance personal freedom with public safety if arms are accessible?
Austria is one of the few EU countries with fairly liberal gun laws. There are more than 30 firearms per 100 inhabitants, with a significant proportion of them in private ownership.
Although the acquisition of military weapons requires a permit, category B firearms (such as semi-automatic pistols) are available with a license and proof of “necessity”.
Political Reactions and Legislative Initiatives
Immediately after the tragedy, Federal Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP) promised a “thorough review of weapons regulations”. However, the first wave of proposals in parliament caused a mixed reaction.
Some parties (primarily the Greens and the SPÖ) called for tighter control on firearms: shorter license periods, mandatory annual psychiatric examinations, and the creation of a single database for gun owners.
The centre-right (ÖVP and FPÖ) responded by appealing to the “protection of the rights of law-abiding citizens” and the danger of excesses.
Possible Reform: Where is Austria Heading?
Judging by public discussions and inside information leaking out from the Ministry of the Interior, the following reforms are likely:
- Tightening psychological checks: currently, checks conducted once upon obtaining a license. A transition to regular tests is possible, similar to the model in Finland, where recertification is carried out every 5 years.
- Strengthening digital control: the Ministry of the Interior plans to create a notification system for doctors who will be able to signal threats from patients who have weapons. This is a step towards preventive security, but raises questions about data privacy.
- Standardisation of regional practices: current licensing procedure varies from state to state. A new federal standard could eliminate loopholes, but will put a burden on local authorities.
- Reassessment of the “necessity” category: tightening the criteria for proving the need to own a weapon, especially outside of hunting and sport shooting, will be a test of political will and resistance to the lobby of gun unions.
Criticism and Prospects
The dangers of a “reactive” approach to legislation are well known.
Human rights activists (including Amnesty Austria) warn of the risk of excessive restrictions that will hit marginalised groups.
At the same time, police unions point out that 70% of armed incidents are committed with legally registered weapons. Otherwise, the current filtering system is ineffective.
Experts such as Dr. Sabine Weigl (Institute of Criminology, Vienna) emphasise the need to “reduce violence” by a comprehensive approach, using “social work, digital prevention, and minimisation to any legal access to dangerous means.”
Tightening the law without reforms in the field of mental health and prevention is only a half-measure.
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