Regulation adopted

Election campaign costs: upper limit of 300,000 euros fixed

The cost of election advertising will be limited

(Bild: Huber Patrick)

Following discussions in the run-up to the election, the new law on party funding has now been passed by the SPÖ and the Greens in the Burgenland state parliament. The key point of the new regulation is an upper limit of 300,000 euros for election campaign costs.

Strict penalties are provided for violations. However, the planned audit by the provincial audit office will not be carried out, as there was no two-thirds majority in favor.

"Funds distributed more equally"
For SPÖ party leader Roland Fürst, it is nevertheless a "strict law". The new upper limit hits the SPÖ, as the largest party, the hardest. Competition, democracy and political debate would not be hindered by this, the opposite would be the case: "The funds are distributed more equally."

Approval also came from the Greens: "We support this motion because it has largely taken up our points," said club leader Anja Haider-Wallner, who was also sworn in at the meeting.

Fierce criticism from the Turquoise and Blue parties
The ÖVP and FPÖ were clearly against it: "The law restricts the opposition, curtails the parties and endangers democracy", said Patrik Fazekas, the Turkish regional managing director. FPÖ provincial chairman Alexander Petschnig saw an "opposition gagging law".

Molnar with his own list

Independent mandatary Géza Molnár also criticized the new party funding law and therefore announced that he would stand in the state parliamentary elections in January 2025.