"Krone" series on the election

Why small parties score big in municipalities

On the move: Helga Krismer and Indra Collini are hoping for strong gains in the blue-yellow municipalities.(Bild: Krone KREATIV/Die Grünen NÖ, Neos NÖ)

The local council elections in Lower Austria will take place in just under a month. To mark the occasion, "Krone" is analyzing the state of the parties represented in the state parliament ahead of this all-important referendum. To kick off the series, we take a look at the Greens and NEOS. While the small parties are stuck in opposition across the country, they play a larger role in many municipalities. Where can they play an active role?

Citizens' lists do not play a major role in provincial politics. However, in many Lower Austrian municipalities, these regional initiatives, which usually revolve around well-known local personalities, are firmly anchored in the political scene. However, these lists are not reflected much in the state-wide balance sheet. This shows how different local council elections are from all other elections in the country. This is also why the two small parties - the Greens and NEOS - sometimes play a significantly larger role in local parliaments than they do in the state parliament. A new "Krone" series will therefore examine the significance of the local council elections on 26 January 2025 for the provincial parties.