NR election 2024

Political youngster demands “equal rights for all!”

Slim-fit suits and gelled hair are not for him. Daniel Pöll from Burgenland prefers to present himself as he is.(Bild: zVg)

The spirit of optimism at the "Fridays for future" demonstrations mesmerized Daniel Pöll and left a lasting impression. Since then, the Burgenlander with a multi-cultural background has been active in the Green Youth. He told the "Krone" newspaper why he wants to enter parliament and what he thinks of anti-foreigner politics.

Daniel Pöll from Oslip has been nominated by the Burgenland Green Party as a candidate for the National Council. The budding bank clerk celebrated his 18th birthday just a few days ago. Nevertheless, he is not a greenhorn. "I was already interested in politics as a child and closely followed the elephant rounds on TV during the 2016 presidential election. I was just ten years old at the time," says the former secondary school pupil, who dropped out of school after the ninth grade to do an apprenticeship with a school-leaving certificate.

At the age of 13, when other teenagers were discovering the party life, Pöll marched in climate demonstrations for the first time and "really felt that you can make a difference together with lots of motivated people." Since then, it has been clear to him that you have to be active in politics if you want to make a difference.

Daniel Pöll as a 13-year-old at a "Fridays for future" demonstration in Vienna.(Bild: zVg)

The Burgenland native, who enjoys skating, making music and chilling by the water in his free time, has been involved in the Green Youth for around a year. For him, the Greens are "the only party that is really committed to our future." Although he doesn't hold any official positions, he still resolutely supports various activities of his community. "It's simply nice to make a difference with so many people of heart," he says in his usual juvenile language. 

Multicultural family background
The foundation for this was laid by his parents, who have been separated for over ten years. His mother Claudia works as an office worker at the wine academy in Rust. His father Raúl, a Mexican, is a tourist guide and runs a social project with indigenous children from the Mayan culture in San Cristóbal de las Casas.

Neither of them have ever been active in party politics, but according to Pöll, who was born in Eisenstadt, they have always been socially committed and have thus shown and exemplified to him which values are important and what you should stand up for: "So I understood very early on that I can't just sit back and watch. That's why I think it's really cool that so many young, motivated people who really have what it takes have been given the chance to be on the list for the National Council."

Daniel with his parents and sister.(Bild: zVg)

His sister is also in politics
Pöll ranks eleventh on the Green Party list, while his 24-year-old biological sister Samara Sánchez Pöll - who was born in Mexico, where double surnames are common - is second on the list. After all, the former Caritas refugee counselor and veggie chef, who wants to study cultural and social anthropology from October, is a youth councillor and local councillor in Eisenstadt as well as club chairwoman and regional chairwoman of the Burgenland Greens.

Daniel is aware that his chances of becoming a member of parliament are far lower than those of his sister, but it doesn't bother him: "It's not about whether I'm directly elected to the National Council. It's important to me to be there. I have been given the opportunity to represent my generation and stand up for our future. Even if the chances are slim, that doesn't stop me from standing up for what really matters."

Do I want to become a professional politician? I don't know yet. I'm happy to be part of it all now and I'll see what the future brings.

Daniel Pöll, grüne Nachwuchshoffnung

Daniel Pöll with his sister Samara at his class prom. The photo shows that he can also be representative. After all, clothes make the man - it's no different with politicians. But only those who are truthful are really credible.(Bild: zVg)

This is what he wants to stand up for as a mandatary
According to Daniel Pöll, the issues that need to be tackled most urgently in the House are the climate crisis and the shift to the right. Both phenomena are damaging to humanity: "We must finally take climate change seriously, there is no alternative. Watching our society become even more divided is also not an option for me." 

I find the xenophobic attitudes of other candidates terrible. They make me personally sad. Everyone deserves to have equal rights and opportunities, no matter what you believe in, where you come from or who you love. Especially as a young man, you should stand up for feminism and equal rights, otherwise nothing will ever change. I firmly believe in a colorful and multicultural future where everyone can live happily, freely and without discrimination - that's what I want for Austria and beyond all borders.

Daniel Pöll, grüne Nachwuchshoffnung

That's why Pöll has been in election fever for weeks now and is motivating Generation Z, who are allowed to vote for the first time this year, to make use of their right to vote: "I'm getting positive feedback from those around me, especially from young people. On September 20, we will be setting up an election campaign stand in Eisenstadt where people can try out voting. That's sure to be great!"