First wave of posters

Greens launch election campaign: “Decision on direction”

The Green top candidate Sandra Krautwaschl and Managing Director Timon Scheuer.

(Bild: Die Grünen Steiermark)

The Styrian Greens are the second party after the SPÖ to present their posters for the state election campaign. Unsurprisingly, the focus is on soil protection, childcare and renewable energies. The ballot is described as a "directional decision".

"More green. More plan. More togetherness": this is the slogan with which the Styrian Greens are entering the election campaign with club leader and state spokesperson Sandra Krautwaschl. 

In the national elections, the Greens in Styria fell from 13.0 to 7.6 percent - an unfavorable starting point for the state elections on 24 November: "Yes, the result was disappointing for us," admitted Krautwaschl. This makes it all the more important to convince as many people as possible of the Greens in the remaining six weeks, as it is a "directional decision" for the country: "Continue as before, take a step back - or shape the future with a good plan, drive forward solutions instead of rolling over problems." It will also be important that there is a good climate in politics in which people work "together and not against each other".

Disappointment among the Greens on the evening of the National Council elections.

(Bild: Christoph Hartner)

Fight against land consumption
"In our program, we focus on solutions that can actually be decided in Styria," emphasized Timon Scheuer, regional managing director. "Stop wasting land", for example, is at the top of the 20-point program, which targets a maximum land consumption of 0.4 hectares per day. The aim is to save 1,000 hectares of soil conversion per year. Krautwaschl also mentioned a photovoltaic obligation for larger parking lots and already sealed areas such as supermarkets and noise barriers.

The Greens are in favor of a second year of free kindergarten. At an estimated 9.2 million euros, this would represent a thousandth of the state budget and "a worthwhile investment in the future".

The Greens also believe that the establishment of primary care centers in the regions, especially in those with poor care, should be accelerated and better support provided for care at home. Another goal of the Greens is to deploy 180 more community nurses, which are currently available in 32 Styrian municipalities.

Election campaign kick-off on October 16
The public campaign launch with Krautwaschl and other candidates will take place on October 16 at the Iron Gate in the center of Graz. On October 18, flyers will be distributed throughout Styria in Voitsberg and Deutschlandsberg.