Material battle

Flood of election posters: “Mockery for the population”

Vorarlberg is currently littered with election posters. In Bregenz in particular, the focus is on the big picture.(Bild: APA/JOCHEN HOFER)

The Vorarlberg Greens want an upper limit on campaign costs to be introduced for municipal elections. A motion to this effect has been tabled in the state parliament. 

Municipal and mayoral elections are due to be held in Vorarlberg this Sunday. This is evidenced not least by a veritable flood of election posters, especially in the contested towns and large municipalities where there is hardly any advertising space left. The parties seem to spare no expense and are apparently exploiting the lack of an upper limit to the full. Much to the annoyance of the Vorarlberg Greens, who would like to see more sensitivity in times of a sluggish economy: "While the public sector and many Vorarlberg residents have to make savings, enormous sums are being squandered on election campaigns - this is a mockery for the population," criticizes the Greens' dual leadership Eva Hammerer and Daniel Zadra.

Material battle in Bregenz
A particular thorn in the side of the Green state spokesperson duo is the material battle in the state capital, where incumbent Michael Ritsch (SPÖ) and challenger Roland Frühstück (ÖVP) are vying for the mayor's seat: "The flood of posters from the ÖVP and SPÖ in Bregenz is enormous. It is alarming how much money is being thrown out the window here - hundreds of thousands of euros are at stake."

An election campaign should live from the competition of the best ideas, not from the size of the wallet!

Eva Hammerer, Grünen-Landessprecherin

Party funding law as a model
The Greens are therefore also calling for a restriction on election advertising for municipal elections - a motion to this effect has already been tabled in parliament. The motion states: "The provincial government is called upon to make legal changes to restrict election advertising for municipal elections as well." The party promotion law, which the Greens wrested from the ÖVP in the last legislative period, is to serve as a model. This has proved its worth: "Thanks to the poster cap, we have fewer election posters in regional elections and more fairness for smaller campaigning groups. An election campaign should live from the competition of the best ideas, not from the size of the wallet!" says Hammerer.