"Filzmaier scandal"

Small party wants to score points with a trick on the ballot paper

Simple trick, big effect? Election day on September 29 will show whether "Wandel" leader Fayad Mulla's poker will work.(Bild: APA/ROLAND SCHLAGER)

In order to maximize votes, the small party "Wandel" wants to use a trick in the autumn election that was suggested some time ago by political scientist Peter Filzmaier. On Tuesday, they said that they simply wanted to appear on the ballot paper as "NONE".

The head of the left-wing group, Fayad Mulla, told the "Standard" that they wanted to run as "None of them" in the National Council elections. After all, "unfortunately there is currently no parliamentary party that represents us".

Against FPÖ monopoly among the dissatisfied
The aim is to appeal to those people who are "disappointed and disgusted" by the parliamentary parties. Dissatisfied people should not be left to the FPÖ, so the argument goes.

Filzmaier: "List None" would make it in
Political scientist Filzmaier, of all people, provided the inspiration for this, once claiming in a witty aside that a list with the name "None" would make it into the National Council.

Peter Filzmaier was the godfather of the "change" maneuver.(Bild: Imre Antal)

Only 0.5 percent five years ago
For the time being, "Wandel" needs to collect 2,600 declarations of support for an Austria-wide candidacy. The small party had little success in the last National Council elections: in 2019, it received just 0.5% of the vote.