Pressure can begin

Seven parties are on the ballot paper for the EU elections

(Bild: Christian Jauschowetz)

The ballot paper for the EU elections has now been finalized. This means that around 6.4 million voters will be able to choose between the five parliamentary parties ÖVP, SPÖ, FPÖ, NEOS and the Greens as well as the KPÖ and the list DNA, which is critical of the coronavirus measures, on June 9.

At its meeting on Wednesday, the Federal Electoral Authority completed its examination of the seven election proposals submitted on April 26 and published them. With the announcement of the election proposals on the official notice board of the Ministry of the Interior and on the Internet, the election proposals can no longer be changed. In addition, the production of the official ballot papers can now begin. The ballot papers should be in stock in all municipalities by the middle of next week so that the polling cards can be issued on time, it was reported on Wednesday.

KPÖ and DNA still collecting supporters
Alongside the KPÖ, only the DNA list, which is critical of the coronavirus measures, has managed to collect the necessary 2,600 declarations of support across Austria. This means that, as in 2019, seven parties are on the ballot paper. In contrast, nine parties were on the ballot in 2014, and eight in 1996 and 2009. In 1999, like this year, there were also seven alternatives for voters, and in 2004 there were only six.

Ranking is fixed
The parties running this time appear in the following order on the official ballot paper - which is uniform throughout Austria - with the following abbreviations:

1. Austrian People's Party (ÖVP)

2. the Austrian Social Democratic Party (SPÖ)

3. Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ) - Die Freiheitlichen (FPÖ)

4. the Greens - The Green Alternative (GRÜNE)

5 NEOS - The New Europe (NEOS)

6. DNA - Democratic - Neutral - Authentic (DNA)

7. the Communist Party of Austria - KPÖ Plus (KPÖ)