On the election campaign

ÖVP candidate calls Chancellor Nehammer a “phoney”

In the local party newspaper, Nehammer is mistakenly referred to as a "dazzler".(Bild: Krone KREATIV/APA/GEORG HOCHMUTH, zVg)

While so far only the Social Democrats have attracted attention in the current election campaign with political ricochets, there is now also the first small "slip" in the ÖVP. In an advertisement in a local party newspaper, Chancellor Karl Nehammer is described by a party colleague and National Councillor as a "blender". "Mistaken", according to the party.

A small community in Lower Austria was the talk of the town in political circles on Saturday. In the municipal newspaper of Michelhausen in the district of Tulln, ÖVP National Councillor Johann Höfinger wanted to promote himself and his party leader, Chancellor Karl Nehammer. At least the latter apparently didn't work out so well.

The word "none" is missing from the advertisement
The black federal party leader is referred to as a "dazzler" in the corresponding advertising text. "Karl Nehammer is a dazzler, not a dreamer and not a rabble-rouser. He is someone who shapes - not divides. Someone who listens - not disturbs," it says. "A mistake", according to a request from the ÖVP. The word "no" is missing before the word "dazzler", they clarify. 

However, as is well known, he who has the damage does not have to take care of the mockery. Just SPÖ National Councillor Andreas Kollross, who famously came under fire for his "Ius primae noctis" slogan, commented on Twitter. 

And he promptly received a counterattack from the ÖVP. "It's embarrassing that someone who 'accidentally' glorified rape on Facebook is speaking out," says Harald Sörös, head of press for the Lower Austrian provincial party. Instead, the SPÖ should rather lecture its party leader Andreas Babler, who (inadvertently) invited people to the campaign kick-off after the national elections.