No joke

Satirical newspaper wants to seize FPÖ Lower Austria

Screenshot of the daily press on Tuesday, October 1, 2024

(Bild: Screenshot dietagespresse.com)

The satirical newspaper "Tagespresse" wants to seize the FPÖ Lower Austria and foreclose on party property. This was announced on Tuesday on Platform X. The FPÖ Lower Austria should have paid the medium more than 14,000 euros, but had not complied with this judgment within the deadline.

"We have therefore instructed our legal representation to initiate execution proceedings," it says on X. This includes "seizure and forced sale of party property" and could subsequently lead to insolvency proceedings.

On September 10, 2024, the Vienna Higher Regional Court ordered the FPÖ Lower Austria to pay compensation of EUR 14,542.21 to the satirical newspaper "Tagespresse". The money should have arrived within two weeks.

FPÖ: Have paid
According to the FPÖ, this has happened. "The call for payment was made on September 30 and the amount was transferred on the same day," said regional managing director Andreas Spanring in a press release. Previously, neither a billing address nor an account number had been given to the editorial team.

You can see the "Tagespresse" posting here.

False letters to pubs
What is it about? The legal dispute is based on false FPÖ letters that the newspaper sent to around 500 pubs in April 2023. The letters talk about a "pub bonus" and a newly created "department to promote patriotic food culture". The traditional menus have come under pressure in recent years - "on the one hand from the foreign cultures streaming into the country (...)" and "on the other hand from the increasing number of Viennese (...)", who are increasing the demand for dishes such as tofu in other federal states.

The editors used the name and logo of the FPÖ Lower Austria. The party then filed a lawsuit and argued, among other things, that it had suffered damage as a result of the campaign. Recipients had contacted the company and in some cases complained or threatened to no longer vote for the party. In addition, the logo should not have been used.

Vienna Higher Regional Court: Satire recognizable
However, the FPÖ was unsuccessful in its lawsuit. The Vienna Higher Regional Court referred to freedom of expression and the fact that the satire was recognizable. The formulations were exaggerated enough. It thus agreed with the reasoning of the Vienna Commercial Court.

The editorial team notes that the law-and-order party FPÖ ignores legally binding judgments of the judiciary.

„Tagespresse“-Redaktion

The party was even ordered to make a legally binding payment of 14,542.21 euros to the medium. This includes court and legal fees that the newspaper had to pay for the lawsuits. The money should have arrived within two weeks. "The editorial team notes that the law-and-order party FPÖ is ignoring legally binding judgments of the judiciary," commented the "Tagespresse" on Tuesday morning. "We are now accepting bids for songbooks," joked the homepage.