Rules for political channels must be detached in social networks

In total, since 2013, the Senate of the Independent Party Senate (UPTS) has imposed 410,000 euros on fines against FPö, ÖVP, Spö, Neos and Greens because of the prohibited financing of social media channels by state organs. This corresponds to a quarter of all penalties imposed due to violations of the income restrictions of the parties. The application for the law of ÖVP, Spö, Neos and Greens would now legalize this practice.

“Donations of staff” forbidden
Since 2013, the Senate has imposed 1.4 million euros on fines because the parties have declared their income or incorrect or because the parties have accepted (material) donations of prohibited sources. The latter in particular influences the state: due to the already high party financing in Austria, it is strictly prohibited from all government agencies to also support the work of the parties – also with “personnel donations”.

The ÖVP, Spö, Neos and Greens now want to tap this ban on a specific point. In particular, Ministries, the governments of the State and the parliamentary clubs funded by the State must be allowed to take care of the social media channels of government politicians. The only requirement: these contributions must be identified by “suitable measures”.

The fines imposed in May also show how much money does against ÖVP, Neos and Greens. For four government offices of these parties alone, the Court of Auditors estimated the annual costs of social media care with a maximum of 220,000 euros. The corresponding personnel costs were deposited in the parties as a fine. The example of the FPö shows that it is even more expensive: the Senate in 2020 imposed a punishment of 185,000 euros because the parliamentary club had operated the Facebook page of the then chairman Heinz-Christian Strache.

Highest penalties for campaign costs
The majority of fine payments imposed by the Senate concerns the expenditure of the parties, specifically: exceeding the campaign costs. In the past, ÖVP, Team Stronach and FPö have particularly beaten the strands. For them it made the highest fines that were previously imposed: for the 2013 election campaign, the 567,000 euros were punished against the Stronach team and 300,000 euros against the ÖVP. And in 2017 it placed another 800,000 euros for the ÖVP, the FPö had to pay 372,000 euros.