ÖVP has 7.9 million euros in the election campaign - who stays under the limit?

ÖVP has 7.9 million euros in the election campaign - who stays under the limit?

Reporting on the election campaign costs shows that the FPÖ and the KPÖ have not yet submitted their reports, the deadline to end next Monday. These reports are mandatory because the 2022 party law brings tightening the transparency regulations, which prescribes a complete documentation of all campaign expenditure.

rules and reimbursements

A strange aspect of the current campaign regulations is that candidates can invest up to 15,000 euros in their election campaign out of their own pocket; Everything beyond this is one of the party's expenses. It is also important to note that since 2012 no reimbursement of the election campaign costs, after National Council elections, which further increases the financial burden on the parties. Also in the 2019 National Council election, the ÖVP remained below the 7 million euro limit with 6.85 million euros.

A comparative analysis of the campaign costs in Germany results in a more differentiated picture. In Germany, the election campaign is also strongly shaped by public funding. bpb reports on the Americanization of the election campaigns, which leads to higher demands on parties. The parties have to become increasingly professional and open up new sources of income, which has become necessary not least because of the successive membership losses. For example, the CDU received a budget of 28 million euros for the 2024 election campaign, while the Greens and the SPD follow.

international comparisons and financial structures

In international comparison, the campaign costs in Germany are relatively low. For the US presidential election 2024, costs of an estimated $ 6.4 billion are forecast. In Germany, parties will receive 45 cents for each euro that they can take through membership fees and donations up to a maximum of 3,300 euros per person per year. These state funds play a crucial role, especially for parties such as the Greens, the SPD and the left.

It is also important to emphasize that financial support not only plays a role in the election campaign, but is also closely linked to the number of members of a party. An increase in membership numbers can therefore lead to higher state grants. Parties are therefore forced to find creative means and paths to optimize their finances in order to remain competitive even in upcoming elections. While the CDU can fall back on 8 million euros more than in 2019, it remains exciting to observe how the financial landscapes of the parties will develop in the coming years.

In an increasingly competitive political environment, all parties must continue to make strategic decisions regarding their campaign expenditure and financing strategies in order to be successful in the race for political power.