Austria's parliament voted on Thursday to scrap a smoking ban in bars and restaurants set to enter force in May.

Lawmakers from the ruling center-right People's Party (ÖVP) and far-right Freedom Party (FPÖ) voted to overturn the ban that the previous government had passed.

The FPÖ had pledged to scrap the ban as part of its electoral campaign in late 2017. Party officials said they wanted to protect Austrians' "freedom of choice" and protect restaurant and bar owners who would be adversely affected by the ban.

Read more: The E-cigarette: Ban on sale to minors in Germany

Watch video 06:11 Share Austria: A smokers’ paradise Send Facebook google+ Whatsapp Tumblr linkedin stumble Digg reddit Newsvine Permalink https://p.dw.com/p/1BrnR Austria: A smokers’ paradise

'Ashtray of Europe'

Anti-smoking advocates have nicknamed Austria, where about 13,000 people die every year of smoking-related complications, the "Ashtray of Europe." Thirty percent of people over the age of 15 smoke, according to the European Union's statistical agency Eurostat.

The country allows people to light up in restaurants and bars so long as they sit in a separate area. Bars smaller than 50 square meters (540 square feet) have the right to allow smoking throughout the premise.

But critics have said the rules are not always respected in larger establishments and people in non-smoking areas still inhale second-hand smoke.

Read more: Can Japan stub out its smoking habit?

Going graphic: shock photos on German cigarette packs The slogan's not enough Until recently, cigarette packs in Germany only came with slogans like "Smoking kills." But now tobacco companies have to cover two thirds of the packaging with deterrent images. With the new law, Germany is implementing a 2014 EU regulation. "Our goal is to prevent young people from starting to smoke," Social Democrat drug policy spokesman Burkhard Blienert said.

Going graphic: shock photos on German cigarette packs Possible new design German smokers could now face images like this one. Two thirds of a pack will have to be covered by a picture - and rotting teeth are a visceral deterrent. Cigarettes and tobacco with picture-less packaging produced until May 2016 are allowed on store shelves for one year. After that, there will be no escaping the gruesome images.

Going graphic: shock photos on German cigarette packs Fighting the smoke The German government also passed a bill that will ban cigarette ads on public billboards, posters and in movie theaters that show films for anyone younger than 18 years of age. Politicians hope that this measure will help keep young people from ever reaching for a cigarette in the first place. The German motto for World No Tobacco Day 2016 is "No room for toxic messages."

Going graphic: shock photos on German cigarette packs Australia, the pioneer Lawmakers down under went even further in their regulation of cigarette packaging. Since 2012, all cigarette packs in Australia come with large graphic warnings against smoking - and without any logos. France is set to introduce similar rules at the end of 2016.

Going graphic: shock photos on German cigarette packs Going neutral is contentious The neutral packaging allows brand names only in a small, non-distinct font at the bottom of the pack. The color of the pack is the same for all brands and images cover more than the German mandatory two thirds of a pack. French tobacco companies are not amused by this prospect: the producer of Gauloises, Imperial Tobacco daughter Seita, announced they will sue.

Going graphic: shock photos on German cigarette packs Smoking will "die down eventually" Opponents of the graphic images on cigarette packs say they won't keep smokers from lighting up. But proponents hope to deter people who haven't smoked before from picking up a pack. "If [smoking]'s not associated with nice things via pretty packaging or advertising anymore, it's going to die down eventually," psychologist Christoph Kröger predicts. Author: Carla Bleiker



'In favor of death'

"Until today, there has been no country in the world that has taken a step backwards on protecting non-smokers," said Pamela Rendi-Wagner of the opposition Social Democrats (SPÖ) ahead of the vote.

More than 540,000 people signed a non-binding petition calling on the government to keep the ban.

The ruling coalition also voted raise the minimum age for smoking to 18 and outlawed smoking in cars if underage passengers are in the vehicle. The changes are set to enter force in 2019.

But those changes were not enough to assuage some critics.

Speaking in the parliament, opposition politician Matthias Strolz said: "You are acting against science and without a conscience. You are making a deliberate decision today in favor of death."

amp/kl (AFP, dpa)