Ex-colleagues against the FPÖ

After Hofer’s X-Posting: Political dispute in XXS format

Hofer was criticized by former party colleagues for the catchphrases in his election campaign slogan.(Bild: Christian Schulter)

The devil is in the detail: Norbert Hofer, FPÖ top candidate for the regional elections in Burgenland, had to put up with harsh criticism from former party colleagues after posting on the former Twitter platform. Diligence, a buzzword in his political slogan, became a point of contention. 

Although it has not yet been officially opened by all parties, Burgenland has long been in the midst of an election campaign. This political phenomenon has many faces. One of them is reflected in a message from FPÖ top candidate Norbert Hofer via microblogging service X, formerly Twitter.

Hofer surprised by request
The Freedom Party leader used the platform to express his astonishment at an "employee of the provincial government" who had requested information about the blue mandatary from the municipal office in Pinkafeld. It was about how many meetings Hofer had "skipped" as a local councillor in his home town.

Hofer's posting via the microblogging service X, formerly Twitter, has been widely circulated.(Bild: X)

Not an SPÖ move
What gave the impression of an electoral tactical move by an SPÖ henchman of state leader Hans Peter Doskozil turned out to be a request from a companion of the Hausverstand list, Herbert Adelmann.

"I have inspected the minutes of the municipal council meetings. Every citizen is entitled to do that," explains the man concerned. The conclusion: Adelmann, formerly of the FPÖ, criticizes Hofer's election campaign slogan "Loyalty, diligence and honesty". There can be no question of diligence, denounces the Hausverstand list.

Missed seven meetings
"In his function as a municipal councillor, the FPÖ top candidate has attended 12 of 19 meetings that have taken place in the current period since October 2022. He was excused for the remaining seven," explains Adelmann. 

That is an absence rate of 37 percent. This year, the figure is even 50 percent. "There have been six meetings so far in 2024, and Hofer has been absent from three of them. One is still outstanding in December," the Hausverstand list candidate explains in detail. These statistics cast serious doubt on Hofer's credibility, they say. "This has nothing to do with his so-called coming home tour," rages Adelmann.

FPÖ sees no omissions
The FPÖ top candidate's office reacted with incomprehension to the "excitement" surrounding the X-posting. The comment is correspondingly brief: "If the third President of the National Council is present at two thirds of all municipal council meetings, then that is highly honorable."