Austrian Chancellor Advocates Constitutional Protection for Cash Usage

Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer has called for the right to use cash to be enshrined in the country's constitution, citing concerns that cash could be restricted as a means of payment. Austria has been slower to adopt digital payments compared to other European countries, with many people still preferring to use coins and bills for everyday transactions. Nehammer's three-point plan includes protecting the right to cash in the constitution, ensuring the ability to pay with cash, and guaranteeing access to cash through a reasonable proximity of banks. The announcement has drawn criticism from both the opposition Social Democratic Party and the populist Freedom Party.