Never mind Greece, movement in Austria to exit EU

Around 66 percent of Austrians supported E.U. membership in the 1994 referendum that led to the country's inclusion in the bloc. | Photo: Reuters

Austrians have launched a petition to leave the European Union, according to reports Saturday. Nearly 10,000 Austrians have already signed the petition, which was launched by retiree Inge Rauscher.

"We want to go back to a neutral and peace-loving Austria,” said Inge Rauscher, according to The Local.

Rauscher has already garnered enough signatures for the petition to qualify as an official campaign, though activists will need to reach 100,000 signatures before July 1 for the initiative to be considered by parliament. Rauscher has argued E.U. membership has hamstrung Austria's democracy and economy.

“Over 80 percent of all essential legislation is being imposed by Brussels, not by elected commissioners. In our view, Europe is not a democracy,” she told Russia's Sputnik news. She has also argued leaving the E.U. would boost Austria's economy by US$10,900 per household, per year.

According to The Local, recent polls have suggested as many as a third of Austrians would support leaving the E.U. Around 66 percent of Austrians supported E.U. membership in the 1994 referendum that led to the country's inclusion in the bloc. Austrians aren't the only ones eying the exit. Earlier this month the U.K.'s parliament voted in favor of a referendum on E.U. membership, which could happen as early as 2017.

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