Projection: 5.9%

Neos: “We have anchored ourselves in Styria”

Cheers at the NEOS election party in Graz

(Bild: Christoph Hartner)

According to the latest projection, the NEOS achieved 5.9% in the Styrian regional elections. This is a slight increase (0.5%) compared to 2019. At the election party in a pub in Graz's Elisabethstraße, the "Pinks" cheer loudly, but no one wants to talk about a possible future coalition.

"I Am From Austria" is the last song played before the first projection flickers across the screen at the NEOS election party in a pub in Graz's Elisabethstraße. The party's regional managing director Christian Pichler has already whipped up his many party friends: "We have distributed more than 55,000 flyers and knocked on thousands of doors to convince people of our cause. So if the result comes now, then we will cheer," he says.

"Today is a great day for the Neos"
And there is indeed a great deal of jubilation when it becomes clear that the NEOS will be back in the Styrian state parliament and can even enjoy a slight increase: "Today is a great day for the NEOS, we have anchored ourselves in the Styrian political landscape," says a delighted Veit Dengler, who sits in the National Council for the NEOS from Graz.

But in view of the significant gains made by the FPÖ, he also says: "In terms of democratic politics, today is of course not a good day. The result is the receipt for the political failure of recent years."

"The ball is in Kunasek's court"
If rumors are to be believed, however, the NEOS could play a significant role in the Styrian political landscape in the future. Now that it is questionable whether the FPÖ will find a coalition partner and a coalition between the ÖVP and SPÖ will no longer have a majority of seats, the NEOS could become the kingmakers of a Styrian candy coalition, which is currently being negotiated at federal level. However, Christian Pichler does not want to comment on this on election night: "The ball is now in Mario Kunasek's court. Only if he fails to form a government will we think about it."

And none of the other guests at the election party want to comment on this either: "Today we are happy that we have a plus." Only Bettina Schöller, who will probably join Niko Swatek in the state parliament, said in the interview: "We are ready to take responsibility."