A handheld welding torch for electric-arc welding with a melting welding wire has a wire feed unit for conveying the welding wire along a conveying axis arranged within a torch housing with a handle region, the wire feed unit including a drive unit with a rotation axis arranged vertically with respect to the conveying axis of the welding wire, a drive roller with a rotation axis and a counter roller with a rotation axis, and having a torch push-button. The wire feed unit has a gear stage and the rotation axis of the drive unit is arranged aligning with the conveying axis of the welding wire.