ÖVP at the top

In personnel elections: A setback for the FPÖ’s triumphant advance

The last elections brought one victory after another for the Freedom Party, but the situation is different for staff representatives in the public sector.

With 63.47 percent, the black faction of Christian trade unionists was able to make a big impression. "We were not only able to maintain the result, but were also the only voter group to increase it," says FCG regional chairman Peter Csar. The representatives of the Red FSG (Fraction of Social Democratic Trade Unionists) achieved 16.1%, while the independents won 3363 simmen or 14.66%. The Freedom Party and its AUF (Action Group of Independents and Freedom Party) list were at the bottom of the overall results. They only received a meagre 1378 votes (out of a total of 26,062 votes cast), or 5.59%.

Nevertheless, the blue party is strong in the ranks of the police, the judiciary and the armed forces. FPÖ leader Manfred Haimbuchner says: "We have gained over ten percent in the police force in Upper Austria." FPÖ party secretary Michael Gruber (himself a soldier): "We were able to achieve stabilization in the armed forces."