EU result available

Styria: FPÖ wins, ÖVP remains clearly ahead of SPÖ

The Styrian top candidates: Thomas Waitz (Greens), Elisabeth Grossmann (SPÖ), Reinhold Lopatka (ÖVP), Georg Mayer (FPÖ), Lubomir Surnev (KPÖ), Philipp Pointner (NEOS).

(Bild: Krone KREATIV/KPÖ Stmk., Wolfgang Spekner, Christian Jauschowetz, Christof Birbaumer, Klemens Groh, FPÖ/Silvana Gruze)

Styria also experienced its "blue miracle" on EU election Sunday. The Freedom Party won with 28.1 percent and is therefore even stronger than the national average. The ÖVP lost significantly, but remained five percentage points ahead of the SPÖ - a small ray of hope for Governor Drexler.

Mario Kunasek had already suspected that blue would also become the trend color in Styria on Sunday when he chose his clothes: he went to cast his vote in blue jeans and a blue shirt. The polls had made the Styrian FPÖ chairman confident, and in the evening the 48-year-old from Graz was able to rejoice.

The FPÖ came first in the EU elections in Styria with 28.1 percent, recording massive gains in votes (plus 7.3 percentage points). In 2019, after the Ibiza scandal, they had to settle for third place. This is the second time since the 2013 National Council elections that the Freedom Party has won the most votes in Styria.

Here you can find the results for all districts and municipalities:

Styrian Georg Mayer will return to the EU Parliament. For Kunasek, Sunday's result is a tailwind for the regional elections, which are expected to take place in November. Polls also show the FPÖ in the lead in Styria, in some cases by a clear margin. The financial scandal in the Graz FPÖ hardly seems to have affected the blue party.

SPÖ continues to lose ground
Elisabeth Grossmann, the Styrian SPÖ top candidate, also has the ticket to Brussels and Strasbourg in her pocket. Last year, she prevailed internally against Cornelia Schweiner, member of the provincial parliament - Schweiner is now retiring from politics. The duel has also caused wounds within the party.

Elisabeth Grossmann enters the EU Parliament

(Bild: Christian Jauschowetz)

The SPÖ ultimately only achieved 20.6% in Styria, undercutting the already modest election result from 2019 (21.4%). Anton Lang's ambitions to become provincial governor have certainly been dampened.

ÖVP: Kaltenegger misses out on a seat in the EU Parliament
The fact that Reinhold Lopatka from Styria will enter the EU Parliament for the ÖVP is little consolation for the Black Party. This is because the state governor's party suffered a heavy defeat, dropping a good ten percentage points to 25.6%. The fact that the ÖVP is above the national average and well ahead of the SPÖ coalition partner at state level is a small ray of hope for Christopher Drexler.

Isabella Kaltenegger, a farmer from Upper Styria, will not be entering the EU Parliament. She was in 6th place on the ÖVP list - but the party only won five seats.

Neos: Not as good as in the polls
The Neos, whose party leader Niko Swatek had invited to the election party in Graz, were satisfied - even if they had secretly hoped for better figures. Although 9.1 percent is a gain (2019: 7.9 percent), the polls had given rise to hopes of much more.

The Greens were left frothing at the mouth on election day; the alleged affair surrounding lead candidate Lena Schilling had spoiled a good result for them: After 13.3 percent five years ago, they now slipped to 9.5 percent in Styria. At least their EU man Thomas Waitz remains in the EU Parliament and could play an important role within the Green parliamentary group.

The KPÖ with top candidate Lubomir Surnev is pleased with its 3.6 percent. This is - at a low level - a tripling of the 2019 result. However, the moment of truth for the Communists will come in the autumn in the National Council elections (will they make it into parliament?) and in the regional elections (will the good poll results be confirmed?). 

Good result for Cornona measures critic
With 3.6 percent, the new DNA list of Styrian Maria Hubmer-Mogg was even slightly stronger than the KPÖ. The former doctor was one of the most prominent critics of the coronavirus measures. The issue continues to polarize parts of the population.