Cheaper and more efficient – Almost everything speaks for a super election Sunday

It was December 31, 2023 when the headline “Krone” reported that the ÖVP was seriously considering moving forward the National Council election date. Since then, signals from ÖVP circles have become increasingly clear that a super election Sunday on June 9 is planned. Chancellor Karl Nehammer today concludes the unofficial start of the election campaign in Wels with the presentation of his “Austria Plan”.

Although the Federal Chancellery denies these rumors, there are some arguments why the Black-Green coalition should decide to combine the elections for the EU and the National Council on June 9. The ÖVP could also decide itself, but apparently does not want that.

• No election campaign in the summer of 2024
  After the election is before the election. If the election date remains September, the National Council election campaign would start shortly after the EU elections and dominate the summer. In Styria and Vorarlberg there will also be a vote in the autumn to determine the state parliament. Experts believe that double elections would devalue the EU elections given their importance. According to a survey by pollster Peter Hajek, at least 42 percent of the population would be in favor of double elections, while 18 percent have no opinion.

• No investigative committees in parliament
  

  Two investigative committees would start in March and could only work for three months anyway. These sham battles, which have cost taxpayers millions, could be avoided with double elections. Postponed is not canceled. The U committees could be re-established in the new legislative period.

• More cost-effective for the taxpayer
  

  Although a super election Sunday does not minimize printing costs for ballots or postal votes, in a double election, compensation for committee members and polling station rent would only have to be paid once.

• Efficient election campaign – no election poster forest
  

  A double election would mean mega-stress for party headquarters, but a super election Sunday would be more cost-effective for the party budget. Instead of six months, Austria would only be “on the list” of the top candidates for three months.

• Choose instead of muddling through
  

  The last months in a coalition are usually the most inefficient. When in doubt, even high-ranking businessmen like IV boss Georg Knill say: “It is better to vote quickly instead of blocking each other.

Comment: Why not, Mr. Vice Chancellor?
The Ministry of the Interior assures that a super election Sunday can be organized on June 9. Voters should be able to vote for their favorite party on different ballots. Although the ÖVP officially denies that it is aiming for a super election Sunday, the ÖVP state leaders make no secret of which election date they are aiming for. In general, this ‘I want to, but I don’t dare’ mood is incomprehensible.

Five years without new elections has only happened once in the Second Republic: in the grand coalition under Faymann (2008-2013). The ÖVP and the Greens then rank second in the all-time best list of the five-year legislature. So what’s the problem?

There is (still) a problem with the Greens, because the ÖVP apparently does not want to do it alone. Vice Chancellor Werner Kogler wants to muddle through until September, because there are no more great opportunities. Other voices believe that the important EU elections would be lost due to a merger.

Still, Kogler needs to give himself a push. When the National Council and EU elections take place on June 9, there will be two top candidates in each party. Kogler could benefit from the energy and freshness that green EU party leader Lena Schilling radiates.

Schilling, who is only 23 years old, has understandable weaknesses in terms of content, and Kogler can bridge this gap. A good combination for a super election campaign. So why not, Mr. Vice Chancellor!