FPÖ opens election with Kickl
The FPÖ was less reserved at a press conference on Monday at 10 a.m. state party chairman Erwin Angerer made it clear what he thought of Sunday’s result from Lower Austria. “The Voters have punished prevailing politics. It was not only a rejection of the politics of the ÖVP and the Greens, but from our point of view also one of the SPÖ.”
It soon became clear that Angerer should not treat Peter Kaiser and his SPÖ with kid gloves in the remaining five weeks of the Carinthian election campaign.
There was railing against the “corona dictatorship, which was also massively supported from Carinthia,” said Angerer. The “climate dictatorship” of the Greens, which, according to the state party leader, resulted in the cancellation of projects such as the S37 in Carinthia, was also criticized. And Angerer also sees Klagenfurt Airport in danger if the Greens in Carinthia should have anything to say.
Will the Greens make a comeback?
And this very question could be quite exciting. The Greens want the new top candidate Olga Voglauer back to the state parliament. In 2018 – after five years of government work – the 3.1 remained well below the 5 percent hurdle and were kicked out of the state parliament. For the NEOS around Janos Juvan The race is not getting any easier, in 2018 2.1 percent were not enough for a first-time entry into the state parliament.
FPÖ leadership marches in Carinthia
For the FPÖ campaign start, am Friday and Saturday also federal party chairman Herbert Kickl to his home country to set the mood for the state elections. And he won’t be the only prominent FP Oiler, as pointed out in the press conference. are expected as well Norbert Hofer, Walter RosencrantzSecretary General Michael Schnedlitz and Salzburg’s FPÖ boss Marlene Svazek. For the Salzburg FPÖ there should be full support from Carinthia in the state elections on April 23rd.
2018 great success for SPÖ
But back to the last state election in Carinthia. One that Peter Kaiser is sure to remember fondly. In 2018, the politician managed to surprise many observers. He got almost half of all votes and just missed the absolute. In 1984, the SPÖ was 51.7 percent recently even better in Carinthia. In 2018, the SPÖ went into coalition with the ÖVP.
Speaking of ÖVP. This interpreted the election result in Lower Austria as follows: “We have to convince the voters that March 5th is about the future of Carinthia and not about Vienna,” said ÖVP state manager Julia Löschnig. From state party leader Martin Gruber, who had recently made an impression with a campaign poster in Top Gun style, there was initially no comment. However, it is likely to tremble before losses. In 2018 it was just enough for just under 15 percent.
Surveys show a clear picture
And what do the polls predict for March 5th in Carinthia? The SPÖ, which is far behind in the lead in the polls, relies on large-scale mobilization and refers to the work of the past ten years to keep the forecast losses as small as possible.
The FPÖ, according to polls quite well secured in second place, has laid claim to the governor with Erwin Angerer, as has the Carinthian team Gerhard Koefer, who, however, will probably finish on March 5 at a considerable distance from the FPÖ. According to experts, the Spittal mayor is still capable of a double-digit result.
The ÖVP is particularly cautious – probably also in view of the mood at federal level – the message is currently being spread that it is simply the better partner for the SPÖ, so it is probably aimed at continuing the current coalition.
For the ÖVP, for which Carinthia has always been difficult ground, the constellation of FPÖ and Team Carinthia could be doubly bitter. Because thematically, both parties are fishing in exactly the same basin of protest voters.