Brandstätter on tour:

“Mitterlehner is also considering voting for me”

High-flying plans: Brandstätter on the hunt for votes in Lower Austria(Bild: Die NEOS/Cora Kaufmann)

Helmut Brandstätter, the leading candidate of the Pinken party for the EU elections, is touring the country. On Sunday in Lower Austria, he gave an affable account of his ambitions - and also answered questions from Krone readers beforehand.

Friday afternoon in Tulln. Crowded guest gardens and market stalls. In the middle of it all, a small pink tent: the NEOS in the EU election campaign. Top candidate Helmut Brandstätter in his element: approaching people, answering questions. He banters with young and old, in between sayings such as: "The basket seller didn't give me a basket." Or: "We go fishing for votes at the fishmonger."

People want to know a lot. Why do we need an EU army? "If Trump comes back to power, we can no longer rely on NATO."

He mucked out cowsheds at grandma and grandpa's house
Brandstätter, born in 1955, talks about his childhood. Of his uncle and aunt's farm, where he mucked out cowsheds. Images that one would not automatically associate with him.

How are the NEOS organized in the EU? "We liberals are the third strongest parliamentary group. And we want to stay that way. Our movement is called 'Renew Europe'," he reveals. Renew Europe.

Brandstätter speaks of a "United States of Europe". That also raises concerns. It's about having more in common, in the economy, education, security, he says.

A chance meeting with former ÖVP leader Mitterlehner
An elderly gentleman says: "I'm voting for you. The ÖVP is no longer an option." The former head of the "Kurier" newspaper picks up the ball and talks about a chance meeting with former ÖVP leader Reinhold Mitterlehner a few hours earlier. That was in Krems. "Mitterlehner told me that he was considering voting for me. Because the ÖVP is no longer a European party."

The NEOS could actually do well. The polls show decent growth. Currently 13 percent according to "Spectra" - that would mean an increase of 4.6 percentage points. Also due to the green "Schilling affair".

Brandstätter takes note of this, but does not want to comment on it. He is heading west this week, to Tyrol and Vorarlberg. There is a lot to tell. Breathless - until the election on June 9.