Mobilization was lacking

ÖVP cornerstone weakens in super election year

Did the AK election in Lower Austria give a foretaste of the following elections?(Bild: Huber Patrick)

The ÖVP in particular should learn the lessons from the Chamber of Labor elections in Lower Austria. Because the mobilization of its own party supporters did not work. And there are more elections to come in the next few months.

After the AK elections, six lists will divide up the 110 seats in the Lower Austrian Chamber of Labor. The FSG with President Markus Wieser gains two seats and holds on to 72, the black list NÖAAB/FCG has to give up eight seats and now only has 16, the Freedom Party increases its seats by 4 to 11, the list Gemeinsam AUGE/UG gains one seat and reaches 4, the Perspektive list retains one seat in the plenary assembly and the Communists will have two chamber councillors in future.

Mood in the country
"The trend in the AK election reflects the mood in the country," analyzes pollster Christoph Haselmayer (IFDD). A veritable battle of material contributed to Markus Wieser's success - expansion of the absolute majority. "But it was well crafted and well done," says the expert.

AKNÖ President Markus Wieser (FSG) was able to strengthen his position with the election result(Bild: AK NÖ/Vyhnalek)

Crushing defeat
FCG candidate Josef Hager was only able to defend his position as Vice President by the skin of his teeth. "The NÖAAB, after all a cornerstone of the ÖVP in Lower Austria, missed out on the mobilization," says Haselmayer. This means that the ÖVP is starting the super election year with a "resounding defeat". "And it won't be the only one this year," predicts the pollster: "That should give the party managers food for thought." Because if the trend continues, "things will also be bleak in next year's municipal elections".

Vice-President Josef Hager (FCG) could probably only laugh until the votes were counted(Bild: VPNÖ)

Tailwind for the FPÖ
The Freedom Party is probably not currently plagued by such worries. As the latest IFDD survey has already shown, the FPÖ currently has a tailwind in Lower Austria (as reported by the "Krone"). The result of the AK election fits into this picture. 

Social dissatisfaction
For Haselmayer, the fact that the communists were also able to score points is a sign that "protest can come from the right and the left". The votes for the left-wing camp in this election can probably be seen as a sign of social dissatisfaction.