The Battle to Regain a Seat

89.9 Percent: Eypeltauer Leads NEOS into the Election

Neos politician Felix Eypeltauer (34).(Bild: Markus Wenzel)

One year before the state election, the Upper Austrian NEOS have finalized their candidate list. Felix Eypeltauer (34) received 89.9 percent of the vote. But for the “Pinks,” everything is on the line in 2027: A recent poll even shows them falling below the four-percent threshold.

For the smallest faction in the Upper Austrian state parliament, the next 365 days will be a nail-biter. In 2021, NEOS made it into the state parliament for the first time with just 4.2 percent of the vote. So, in the election a year from now, it’s once again a do-or-die situation.

A recent Spectra poll commissioned by the Greens shows just how close it could get: At three percent, the “Pinks” are currently even below the four-percent threshold.

Eypeltauer Emerges as Clear Winner
The team with which the Neos aim to regain their seats was decided on Saturday at the Tabakfabrik in Linz. That’s where the third and final stage of the party’s internal primary process took place. Previously, the general public, as well as the state team and the federal executive committee, had already been allowed to award points to the candidates.

There were no surprises at the top: Club Chairman and State Spokesperson Felix Eypeltauer will lead the NEOS into the 2027 state election. He received 89.9 percent of the vote. His only opponent, IT manager Franz Josef Reischenböck, received 10.1 percent.

New Number Two
Linda Windbichler took the second spot on the ticket. Following her were Katharina Ehrenfellner, JUNOS state chair Gregor Stadler, and Umdasch managing director Silvio Kirchmair.

The former number two of the Neos, Julia Bammer, who holds a doctorate in law, is no longer running for office. After five years in the state parliament, the 38-year-old has decided to leave politics. She wants to prioritize her family, she told the “Krone” in early August.