The heavy storms that have firmly gripped parts of Austria and have already caused considerable damage and one death are also forcing the election campaign of the National Council to pause. In view of the dramatic situation, several parties have canceled their election campaign events. Discussion programs on ORF and Puls24 are making way for crisis-related special programs.
Chancellor Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) will meet with the State Crisis and Disaster Management Department on Sunday at 2 p.m., just like the day before.
Election events cancelled
The start of the election final of the Upper Austrian People’s Party planned for Saturday in Ried, in which the Chancellor was also supposed to participate, literally did not take place. The same applies to an election campaign event of SPÖ party leader Andreas Babler in Carinthia. Over the weekend, ORF and Puls24 changed their planned double press hour on Sunday; only Fayad Mulla (“None”) was shown, and the leading candidate on the list of the same name, Madeleine Petrovic, had done so as well. to make way for a special storm broadcast at short notice. A duel evening planned for Sunday evening with representatives of the parliamentary parties on Puls24 was also cancelled.
More cancellations on Monday
At least on Monday, the election campaign is likely to face further cancellations; there will be no SPÖ press conference on its security program, nor one on the ÖVP’s “Austria plan” with Agriculture Minister Norbert Totschnig. A press conference with Health Minister Johannes Rauch (Greens) on the free flu vaccination was also canceled. In Lower Austria, which was particularly hard hit by the storms, the ÖVP’s election campaign will be completely suspended. There will probably be further discussions in the Chancellery tomorrow, and the planned press conference on the evaluation report of the National Strategy against Antisemitism will also not take place.
On Monday evening, Chancellor and Vice Chancellor Werner Kogler (Greens) and the chairmen of the two largest opposition parties Andreas Babler (SPÖ) and Herbert Kickl (FPÖ) were supposed to have a duel on ORF. It is currently questionable whether this will actually take place. Puls24 will continue on Tuesday with a “Pro and Contra Special”, and on Wednesday all the top candidates of the parliamentary parties will discuss the issue in an “elephant group”.
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.
