Federal politics as a guest

Vote-catching in Upper Austria is in full swing

Nehammer (right) and Stelzer visited TGW Logistics in Marchtrenk on Tuesday.

(Bild: Land OÖ/Max Mayrhofer)

There are still 40 days to go until the National Council elections - and the campaigners are getting into position. On Tuesday, Federal Chancellor Karl Nehammer and SPÖ Women's Leader Eva-Maria Holzleitner used Upper Austria - where the outcome of the election tends to be a yardstick for the federal result - as a stage. Leonore Gewessler is coming tomorrow.

Domestic industry is stuttering badly: Upper Austrian flagship companies such as Steyr-Automotive, B&R and Fronius are cutting hundreds of jobs. Nationwide, unemployment in this sector has risen by 18 percent compared to the previous year. Austria has not done its homework in terms of location policy, criticizes the Federation of Austrian Industries.

TGW as a grateful host
Against this backdrop, is the industrial state of Upper Austria the right place for an election campaign appearance by the Federal Chancellor? Yes, because fortunately there are exceptions to the rule: TGW Logistics in Marchtrenk recently announced its intention to invest 100 million euros in the Upper Austrian site. Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) gratefully picked up the ball and paid a visit to the company on Tuesday as part of his two-week tour of Austria.

Federal politician on tour
The pre-election campaign has thus picked up full speed in Upper Austria. Last week, as reported, SPÖ leader Andreas Babler did the honors in Bad Goisern, while his party colleague Eva-Maria Holzleitner called media representatives to Linz on Tuesday for a counter-event to the ÖVP.

"Refreshing" with Twinni ice cream at the fountain: Eva-Maria Holzleitner and Michael Lindner.

(Bild: Antje Wolm)

Together with SPOÖ leader Michael Lindner, the red member of the National Council and top candidate for Upper Austria presented her "Refreshing for Upper Austria" tour, during which the two will be canvassing for votes in all districts from Thursday. They want to invite "interested parties to engage in dialog and get to know each other", said Lindner. In terms of content, the SPÖ politicians indicated on Tuesday that the main focus will be on warning against a coalition between the ÖVP and FPÖ.

ÖVP vows improvement
Meanwhile, in Marchtrenk, Nehammer attempted to position the ÖVP - which has held the position of Economics Minister since 1987 - as a party of business in the presence of LH Thomas Stelzer. "A competitive and efficient location is the basis for our prosperity and welfare state," said the Chancellor. Stelzer called for a "curbing of increasing regulations, personnel costs and energy prices". Specifically, the ÖVP politicians held out the prospect of reducing non-wage labor costs by 0.5 percent by 2030.

Gewessler tomorrow in Linz
Of course, Nehammer did not forget his favorite opponent in the upcoming election campaign: The ÖVP leader gratefully accepted the fact that Energy Minister Leonore Gewessler (Greens) spoke of an end to the diesel privilege during her presentation of the climate plan on Tuesday: "The diesel privilege will remain," he assured the Turkish clientele. Gewessler will have the opportunity to respond to this in Upper Austria on Wednesday: she will be stopping off at the DOMbar in Linz that evening as part of her "climate tour".