Filzmaier analyzes

Expert on elections in Lower Austria: “Victories have many fathers”

Peter FIlzmaier analyzes for the "Krone".

(Bild: Imre Antal)

Professor Peter Filzmaier analyzes the results of the Lower Austrian municipal elections for the "Krone" newspaper. His conclusion: the reform of second homes in particular cost the People's Party many votes.

Victories have many fathers, defeats are an orphan. It is therefore a kind of national sport for the parties to pick out election results in municipalities that they can cheer about. But what are the general trends in the country?

1. There is a west-east divide. The FPÖ's gains are greater in the west. Conversely, the ÖVP often falls below 50 percent in the east. Calculated by the five districts of Lower Austria, the Waldviertel and parts of the Mostviertel are where the "blue" party made the biggest gains.
2. On the other hand, the results of the municipalities affected by the floods - measured by where there were many aid payments - were rather inconspicuous and correspond to the overall trend. Neither the ÖVP, as the party of mayors and thus crisis managers, was able to benefit across the board, nor did the Greens, as the climate party, make massive gains. Only a few exceptions confirm the rule.
3. Wherever the 165,000 second-home owners were no longer eligible to vote, the ÖVP lost more than elsewhere. This is because it used to be able to appeal best to this group. On the other hand, they were higher earners - otherwise they wouldn't have been able to afford their little house - and a middle-class core clientele of the ÖVP.
4. Oh yes, and was federal politics to blame? The overall result reflects the lessons learned from the National Council elections: Clear losses for the ÖVP, an additional minus for the SPÖ despite their recent poor result and gains for the FPÖ. However, the ÖVP remains dominant at municipal level and was able to limit the damage. The FPÖ could only provide around a handful of mayors in the 568 municipalities.

Peter Filzmaier is Professor of Political Science at the University for Continuing Education in Krems and the Karl-Franzens University in Graz.