For the elections of the National Council in 2024, the Austrian parties were allowed to spend a maximum of 8.66 million euros each. They now had to send them to the court of auditors how deep they actually reached in their pockets. The ÖVP has spent the most for the election campaign with 7.9 million euros.
The costs concerned the period 9 July and 29 September 2024. It was slightly less expenses at the Spö, which, according to the election report, paid seven million euros. Surprisingly high, the advertisements of the Greens, which with 6.6 million euros were almost twice as much in the election campaign as the Neos (3.5 million euros) all remained below the upper limit of 7.9 million euros.
FPö and KPö have not yet submitted their reports, they received a respite period until Monday. The beer party, which failed when moving to the National Council, released 504,800 euros. For example, the funds flowed into posters and other outdoor advertising.
Extra budget for candidates
The Party Act was tightened up by 2022 and since then the parties have to send their reports on actual campaign costs to the Hof van Auditors. The candidates themselves can also place up to 15,000 euros in their own election campaign. Everything must be attributed to the party. Unlike EU elections, there is no longer any reimbursement of the campaign costs.
There was a huge exceeding of the current upper limit in the elections of the National Council 2017. At that time, the ÖVP spent almost six million euros too much, the FPö 3.7 million euros more and the Spö was only 400,000 euros.
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.
