Questions and answers

Imagine it’s the EU election and nobody cares!

"Curtain up" (a little reminiscent of Punch and Judy) is the poster of the FPÖ, which is ahead in the polls. Behind it is the ÖVP poster.

(Bild: Meinert Claus)

On Sunday, 540,000 eligible voters in Tyrol will be called to vote for the new EU Parliament. In 2019, just one in two people went. It is entirely possible that there will be even fewer this time. The "Krone" provides answers to the most important questions.

 Who can vote and how many eligible voters are there in Tyrol? 
In the European elections on June 9, 2024, all persons who will be 16 years of age on the day of the election at the latest, i.e. who will have their 16th birthday on that day at the latest, may vote. Provided these people are Austrian citizens or EU citizens with their main place of residence in Austria. In Tyrol, there are just under 541,000 eligible voters this time.

 Who or what is actually being elected? 
A total of 720 seats in the EU Parliament are at stake. These MEPs are directly elected by EU citizens who are entitled to vote. Austria will have 20 MEPs in the future.

FP candidate Gerald Hauser has a chance of winning an EU mandate.

(Bild: Christof Birbaumer / Kronenzeitung)

So does Sophia Kircher, who is running for the ÖVP.

(Bild: Birbaumer Christof)

Two Tyrolean candidates with a chance of a mandate 
How is Austria currently represented in the EU? 
The ÖVP currently has seven MEPs, the SPÖ five, the FPÖ and the Greens three each and the Neos one. Tyrol is represented by Theresa Bielowski (SPÖ), who was born in Schwaz, and Barbara Thaler (ÖVP) from Thiersee. Thaler was elected President of the Tyrolean Economic Chamber and is retiring from the EU Parliament.

The best chances from a Tyrolean perspective are Sophia Kircher (ÖVP, she is currently Vice-President of the Tyrolean Parliament) - she is running in fourth place nationwide - and the East Tyrolean National Councillor Gerald Hauser (FPÖ), who is in fifth place with the Freedom Party.

Symbolic photo: There is at least one polling station in all 277 Tyrolean municipalities. Most open at 7 or 8 a.m. - please inform yourself.

(Bild: Rojsek-Wiedergut Uta, APA)

The ÖVP scored a brilliant victory in the 2019 election
The 2019 EU election results: 
In the 2019 European elections, the ÖVP achieved 34.6% nationwide, the SPÖ 23.9%, the FPÖ 17%, the Greens 14.1% and the Neos 8.4%. In Tyrol, the ÖVP won a whopping 42.6 % in 2019, the SPÖ 15.5 %, the FPÖ 15.2 %, the Greens 16.3 % and the Neos 8.8 %.

 Where can you cast your EU vote? 
Polling stations have been set up in all 277 municipalities in Tyrol. On election day, eligible voters may only vote at the polling station in their main municipality of residence where they are also listed in the electoral roll (where their main residence is registered on the cut-off date of March 26, 2024). However, with a so-called "open" polling card, i.e. a polling card that has not been sealed and/or for which the declaration in lieu of an oath has not yet been signed, it is possible to vote at any polling station throughout Austria on election day.

"Will you go with me?" The voter turnout in the 27 EU member states will provide an answer to this question.

(Bild: Tröster Andreas)

Two crosses: One party, plus one preferential vote
How and where can you get a polling card? 
These can be applied for in writing (e.g. by post or email) until Wednesday, June 5 (apply for an absentee ballot at www.wahlkartenantrag.at). If it is possible to hand over the polling card in person to a person authorized by you, you can do so by 12 noon on Friday, 7 June, or verbally by 12 noon on Friday, 7 June.

How to vote correctly? 
You can vote for a maximum of one electoral group (i.e. party). You can also cast a preferential vote. However, this must be given to a candidate who also belongs to the party you voted for. You cannot split your vote between two parties.

Facts and figures

• Members of the European Parliament are elected every five years.
• 720 MEPs meet alternately in Strasbourg and Brussels, with Brussels being the official EU headquarters since 1997.
• Austria currently has 19 mandataries, and will have 20 in the future.
• The 2019 EU elections were a triumph for the Austrian People's Party. Also in Tyrol. The black party won in all of the 279 municipalities at the time.

First detailed results of the EU election after 11 p.m.
How to find polling stations in Tyrol? 
From A for Abfaltersbach and Absam to M for Mayrhofen and Mieming to Z for Zams, Zirl and Zöblen, there is at least one polling station in all 277 Tyrolean municipalities. Most of them open at 7 or 8 am, the last ones close at 4 pm (in Innsbruck). Please note: Some polling stations are only open for a few hours (for exact details, please refer to the notice board in your municipality).

Results of the EU election: 
As this election is also taking place in parallel in the other 26 member states and in some cases the last polling stations do not close until 11pm, results will not be available until after 11pm - including for Tyrol.