Targeting pupils

Despite ban: flyer campaigns in front of Carinthian schools

The "Young Left" are treading on thin ice with their flyer campaigns.

(Bild: Screenshot/@jungelinke.ktn)

Excitement about flyer campaigns by the young communists in Carinthia: The youth organization is campaigning in front of educational institutions, which is actually forbidden.

There are only nine days to go until the national elections - and the election campaign is entering the hot phase. In order to achieve the best possible result for their party, the "Young Left" (KPÖ) in Carinthia have specifically targeted the student voter group. As they themselves proudly published on Instagram, they were on the road in front of various schools across Carinthia and "leafleted" the educational institutions.

However, anyone who has ever dealt with the School Education Act knows that the distribution of flyers or other advertising material from a political party on school premises is strictly prohibited.

Unsurprisingly, the campaign by the young KPÖ members was not well received - not only were some of the campaigners expelled from the premises, there were even complaints, as confirmed by education director Isabella Penz.

Legal gray area
But anyone who believes that ignorance is the culprit here is mistaken. Klagenfurt district spokesperson Markus Teichmann is well aware of the tightrope walk of the school flyer campaign: "We only flyer on public property in front of the schools." However, one or two pictures on social media suggest otherwise: "Now and again, property boundaries to school properties are difficult to recognize," he explains. But in general: whether such gray areas should really be exploited in the battle for young voters remains (at least) questionable.