Salary donation

KPÖ signs “contract with the people”

KPÖ top candidate Tobias Schweiger symbolically signs a contract.(Bild: APA/Hans Klaus Techt)

The KPÖ signed a symbolic "contract with the people" at the end of its election campaign on Friday. In it, the candidates pledge to keep only 2500 euros of their salary when they enter parliament.

The rest is to be given to "people in need". This is already the party's practice in local councils, for example. On Friday, the KPÖ also emphasized its commitment to neutrality and against the privatization of public services. This includes health and social services, for example.

Despite the constant rain, the mood at Reumannplatz in Vienna was positive. The feedback from the population had "grown to an unparalleled extent", said lead candidate Tobias Schweiger. In the election polls, the party has been at around three percent for several weeks, but four percent is needed to enter the National Council. "The last elections have shown that the KPÖ always performs better than predicted in the polls," said Schweiger confidently.

Lots of competition from the left of center
There is plenty of competition to the left of center on Sunday. In addition to the SPÖ and the Greens, the ballot paper also includes the Beer Party and Wandel, which is running as NONE this time. The contract, according to which part of the salary is donated, is a "clear sign" of "an attitude" and an "offer to the people". The KPÖ stands unconditionally on the side of the people.

Surprisingly, support recently came from the rival party. On Wednesday, the SPÖ-affiliated Socialist Youth (SJ) Vorarlberg issued an election recommendation for the KPÖ. As a result, state SPÖ party exclusions were announced for its members. "We are happy to receive any form of support when people like our policies," commented Schweiger.