Election campaign

Hallein: SPÖ and Bürgerliste are at loggerheads

At least there is no discussion about the location of this poster.

(Bild: Tröster Andreas)

Just founded and already in the middle of a political battle: the Hallein Citizens' List takes the term election campaign literally. For days now, they have been taking heavy fire against the SPÖ and Mayor Alexander Stangassinger.

 Most recently, they demanded a "guarantee declaration" from the mayor: Stangassinger should ensure that there are no political entanglements in building projects in Hallein. The mayor then threatened to take legal action - the "Krone" reported.

But that's not all: now the posters of the Citizens' List are at the center of the dispute. The group put up several posters in the window of a studio in the city center. It belongs to list runner-up Felix Ganzer. The crux of the matter: for some time now, there has been an unwritten law between the parties that the old town should remain free of posters, billboards and banners during election campaigns. The criticism from the SPÖ election campaign team was accordingly fierce. Especially as part two of the poster posse followed shortly afterwards.

A garden, a fence, a lot of controversy
This time, the Citizens' List hung its posters - with permission - on a private fence. And overhung the SPÖ's election advertising. The two parties had a lengthy and heated exchange on Facebook. The owner of the fence then had all the election advertising taken down. Even this could not calm the waters.

Shortly before the ballot on March 10, the two parties are now fighting over the Forstgarten. Citizens' List leader Klaus Weikl is known to have leased it, much to the displeasure of Mayor Stangassinger: "If the municipality can finally take over the lease here, it can take care of the park for the people!"