In the ÖVP heartland of Lower Austria, it is extremely quiet three weeks before the state elections. Political scientist Peter Hajek sees behind this a calculus of the People’s Party. You want to prevent the game from getting started. The election campaign should be as short and quiet as possible.
It’s Saturday morning and the weather is beautiful. SPÖ top candidate Franz Schnabl tries to collect votes at Sparkassenplatz in Stockerau. However, there is not much to be found there. In the first hour, only ten passers-by pause for a moment. Manuel Ortega tries to compensate for the lack of atmosphere with volume. Egg dishes are served, but hardly anyone is there to grab them. Still, Schabl thinks he’s feeling “good humor.” Even those who do not vote for the SPÖ are friendly towards him.
Satisfaction with politics is coming to an end
The provincial governor’s party, the ÖVP, is much fancier. Sparkling wine, wine and sandwiches are served at the New Year’s reception in the Binderstadl at Klosterneuburg Abbey. However, the mood doesn’t really come up here either. Mayor Stefan Schmuckenschlager speaks of the “dirtiest election campaign of all time”. However, there is little evidence of the election campaign in the medieval hall. The audience is dead silent, there is hardly any clapping. Governor Johanna Mikl-Leitner dutifully shakes as many hands as possible. Satisfaction with politics seems to have come to an end among the population.
The “Krone” appealed to several passers-by. A 48-year-old man summed it up in a nutshell: “Political numbness is at its peak. You can no longer distinguish between the parties, they simply outperform each other in providing useless subsidies.”
Parties do not enter campaign mode
According to opinion pollster Hajek, the ÖVP is deliberately keeping the election campaign on the back burner. January 29 as election day is no coincidence. After the holidays and vacation, there are only three weeks left until the vote. The parties do not really enter campaign mode and cannot mobilize. “That’s good for the ÖVP,” said Hajek. The People’s Party still has to shiver, because it has not yet been decided that it will exceed 40 percent.
The FPÖ, on the other hand, is quite capable of taking second place. As usual, the PVV started the intensive election campaign in Schwechat on Saturday evening with beer and sausage. Party leader Udo Landbauer was optimistic about the election results. The FPÖ hopes to overtake the SPÖ as the second strongest party.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
