Carinthia Unofficial

Election campaign: door-to-door canvassing in the “swing state” of Carinthia

Nehammer mingled with the voters at the Bleiburger Wiesenmarkt. With the help of the last election and Obernosterer, he is hoping for a good result.(Bild: Evelyn Hronek)

Various federal politicians are trying to win the election on Carinthian soil. The aim is not only to convince voters, but also to motivate their own ranks for the hot phase of the election campaign.

The current polls are likely to cause worry lines on the foreheads of some federal politicians. Because it seems to be a neck-and-neck race between the "big three". And Carinthia could well tip the scales.

Election campaign in the "swing states"
According to political scientists, Austria's two southern federal states could become "swing states", i.e. federal states where there is no clear election victory for one party. And that's why the top candidates are busy making the rounds.

Green Party leader Werner Kogler, flanked by top candidate Olga Voglauer, has already made a start by mingling with the electorate in Klagenfurt. However, the Greens are unlikely to make much headway in Carinthia. After all, they only won 9.5 percent in the last national elections.

Werner Kogler and Olga Voglauer: Both know that Carinthia is not fertile ground for the Greens.(Bild: Grüne Kärnten)

Federal Chancellor Karl Nehammer should have a much better chance. After all, with the Carinthian top candidate Gabriel Obernosterer, he has an "old hand" in the political business at his side. And the Black Party did not exactly do badly in the regional elections. So it is not surprising that the Federal Chancellor seemed to have enjoyed a dip in the crowd at the Bleiburg Wiesenmarkt.

That leaves the SPÖ and FPÖ. Carinthia is fertile ground for both parties. Who will win the race? Herbert Kickl or Andreas Babler? Both have fans in this country, but also declared opponents, both within and outside their own ranks. Speaking of their own ranks: they also want to be motivated. The chancellor tried to do this on Saturday afternoon with a barbecue.