The Austrian Grandparents for Future presented the “Generation Chair” on 2 April 2025 in front of the Austrian Parliament. On the chair sits the figure of a child. The chair is wrapped in ribbons on which many grandparents have written the names of their grandchildren – representing our descendants. The parliamentary presidium, the group leaders and the environmental spokespersons of all parties represented in the Austrian parliament were invited to this presentation. Representatives of the Fridays for Future alliances were present. Representatives of science have made short statements on this.
We are currently experiencing a turning point in global and security policy. Old certainties no longer apply. New threats to Europe are emerging. Armaments, the economy and migration dominate the agenda of national and EU politics. They suppress the topics of the climate crisis and climate protection. The generational chair is intended to illustrate to politicians that future generations will always be there when parliament takes decisions today with an impact on their future. The “Generation chair” is intended to remind us that politics is not a short-term business, but an obligation to those who come after us. This chair calls for economic foresight, ecological responsibility and intergenerational justice. The Grandparents therefore appeal to all decision-makers: “Be courageous, create the framework conditions today for a future worth living not only for us, but also for our children and for all future generations.”