The pan-European party Volt is being prosecuted. She had announced that she would be giving away tickets to a Taylor Swift concert among the messages of support. The Ministry of the Interior then turned to the Public Prosecution Service.
The win would encourage the younger generation to get involved in European politics, it was said in mid-April. However, the party is violating a new criminal law. We did not know that, we were informed about this by the Ministry of the Interior, says top candidate Alexander Harrer. He apologized for the action. The competition is no longer being advertised for the concert in Vienna; previous statements of support are valid.
The Ministry of the Interior confirmed the incident. Since the Corruption Criminal Law Amendment Act of 2023, signing statements of support for an election proposal is protected by criminal law. Promises or offers such as cash, concert tickets or vouchers can be assessed as “bribery in an election or referendum”.
The start will probably not be successful
Regardless of possible criminal proceedings, the Volt party is unlikely to be on the ballot in Austria’s EU elections. One day before the deadline, approximately 1,000 expressions of support were collected; 2,600 are needed to participate. Small parties that are not supported by three members of the National Council or one EU parliamentarian must collect 2,600 signatures across Austria by Friday, April 26.
Top candidate Nini Tsiklauri explains that more than half of the expressions of support are still missing, partly due to the need to go to the municipal office. Authorities, especially in rural areas, are usually only open when most people are at work. It must be possible to submit a declaration with ID Austria. Volt says it now wants to launch a referendum to change the process.
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.
