The cost limit for the election campaign is likely to rise to €8.6 million by the National Council elections. The reason for this is the high inflation. Since 2020, the ceiling for election campaign costs, originally set at seven million euros, is adjusted annually in line with inflation. On Friday, Statistics Austria announced an increase to just over eight million euros for this year. Further valorisation will follow in the 2024 election year.
In 2012, a ceiling for campaign costs was introduced for the first time, set at seven million euros. Until 2019, that was the amount that the parties were allowed to spend in the last 82 days before the elections.
In particular, the ÖVP and the Stronach team, but also the FPÖ and SPÖ have repeatedly crossed this line.
Campaign cost cap has been adjusted for inflation since 2020
Since 2020, the cost limit for the election campaign has been continuously adjusted in line with inflation. Last year it amounted to 7.4 million euros. Due to the currently high inflation, there was a significant jump from 8.5 percent to more than eight million euros this year.
Further valorisation is pending next autumn’s National Council elections. Given the inflation most recently expected by Wifo of 7.5 percent for 2023, the cost limit for the election campaign could amount to 8.6 million euros.
The question is whether the parties will allow the increase to continue unchanged – especially since the government announced at the beginning of August that it intends to partially freeze the salaries of politicians, which also rise with inflation.
The donation limits have also been increased
On Friday, other inflation-related limits were also raised in the party law: this year, parties may accept donations of 860,970 euros (originally 750,000), individual donations may not exceed 8,610 euros (originally 7,500 euros) and the permitted campaign spending for individual activists will increase to 17,220 euros (originally 15,000).
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.
