EU election campaign gifts

Lopatka towels, socks & co for vote catching

The parties do not only rely on posters for their election advertising. However, not all of them can afford so-called "goodies".

(Bild: GEORG HOCHMUTH)

Parties traditionally spend less money on European elections than on domestic ballots. However, the upcoming EU elections are considered an important test of public opinion for the national elections. As a result, the parties are currently courting voters intensively: with posters, online and, in some cases, with small gifts.

Leaflets, pens and cloth bags are being handed out particularly often in the street campaign. The ÖVP is also using glucose, matches and even turquoise Lopatka towels as giveaways. The SPÖ is handing out children's coloring books, crayons and roasted seeds. The two strongest parties so far, which are fighting for second place in the polls, still do not want to reveal the total budget for their election campaign. The central offices are merely emphasizing that they want to stick to the legal upper limit. This time, it is 8.66 million euros, which can be spent between March 26 and election day on June 9. In the last EU election in 2019, the ÖVP spent 6.9 million euros and the SPÖ 4.3 million euros on the election campaign.

FPÖ advertises with fineliners "from Austria"
The FPÖ also does not provide any figures, but assumes that the campaign expenditure will remain below half of what is permitted by law - that would still be 4.33 million euros and therefore almost exactly the same amount as the FPÖ spent in the last EU election in 2019. According to campaign manager and FPÖ federal managing director Joachim Stampfer, the budget will be used for 2,400 large posters, 15,000 small posters, folders and autograph cards for the candidates. There are no FPÖ lighters this time, only fineliners are being given away, and a million of them. It is emphasized that they were produced in Austria.

The blue EU top candidate Harald Vilimsky wants more patriotism.

(Bild: APA/EVA MANHART)

The NEOS and the Greens are much more forthcoming. According to the NEOS, they have decided on a budget of 2.5 million euros for the election campaign, which is significantly more than the 1.5 million euros allocated for the election five years ago. Almost half a million euros will be spent on outdoor advertising, while a further 675,000 euros will be spent on media advertising - 50,000 of which will be on social media. A total of 172,000 euros has been budgeted for flyers and so-called "goodies". Compared to the other parties, the pink marketing department was the most creative this time: in addition to the usual coolies and cloth bags, sweaters and socks in EU blue with stars, T-shirts, snack boxes, Bluetooth boxes, picnic blankets and skipping ropes will also be distributed.

TheGreens are deliberately frugal
The Greens are deliberately frugal and are reckoning with a budget of around 1.5 million euros from the federal party, plus "just over half a million euros" for activities in the federal states, according to the party. Around 550,000 euros of this will be spent on posters - two waves of 4,000 large posters and 13,000 smaller ones - 100,000 euros for online advertising and around 50,000 euros for social media. Postcards, organic gummy bears, ballpoint pens and door hangers are available as advertising materials - for a total of around 100,000 euros, and apples, flowers and herbs are also distributed in the federal states. White tennis socks will also be raffled off. The Greens proved in 2019 that even a relatively frugal election campaign can be successful when the party, which had been kicked out of the National Council at the time, made a comeback with a campaign budget of EUR 1.7 million.

The Greens' top EU candidate Lena Schilling

(Bild: Pessentheiner/f. pessentheiner)

Not everyone can afford campaign gifts
The two lists not represented in the National Council naturally have the smallest budgets. They cannot afford campaign gifts. According to its own figures, the KPÖ has an election campaign budget of around 50,000 euros. 6000 euros of this is spent on around 7000 posters and 5000 euros on social media. Only one type of leaflet is distributed. The DNA list also has modest funds at its disposal. These are used to finance posters, postcards, leaflets and stickers.

The parties that make it into the EU Parliament are reimbursed at least part of their campaign expenses after the EU elections. For this election, this amounts to 2.5 euros per eligible voter, i.e. a total of around 15.9 million euros. This sum is distributed among the parties according to their voting strength.