Styria in the election kettle: FPÖ and ÖVP are fighting for dominance

Styria in the election kettle: FPÖ and ÖVP are fighting for dominance

In Styria, the signs for the upcoming state parliament election on November 24th are on storm. The political winds seem to turn and the voters have confirmed their opinions. While the ÖVP triumphed with 36 percent of the vote in the 2019 state election, the current election campaign is shaped by an intensive competition. According to a survey from the end of October, the current trends indicate that the FPÖ and the SPÖ could become serious challenges for the ÖVP.

This trend in Leibnitz is particularly visible, where the FPÖ showed an impressive performance in the last election of the National Council. There the party achieved over 39 percent of the vote, which means an increase of 16 percent. In contrast, the ÖVP has lost subtle support and only moved to around 30 percent. Gerhard Hirschmann, district party chairman of the FPÖ Leibnitz, is optimistic about the future election result and attributes the success to the response to the right topics, including security and immigration.

red strongholds wiggle

The developments in the city of Kapfenberg are also remarkable. This city was considered the bastion of the SPÖ for a long time, but was overtaken by the FPÖ in the last National Council election. Mayor Matthäus Bachernegg is concerned about the communication problems, which were incorrectly perceived by his party as unchangeable. The introduction of a 32-hour week could encounter resistance in voters, which are deeply rooted with conventional working hours and challenges.

In the ÖVP's strongholds, the first cracks are also evident. The 1,400 inhabitant community Lang, known for its fixed ÖVP voter tribe, also experienced a change. The consent to the People's Party recently dropped by 16 percent, while the FPÖ increased to 29 percent. Mayor Joachim Schnabel is aware that the voters are dissatisfied and indicates that the political climate is changing where topics such as migration and corona policy play a role.

unusual shifts in the voting service

A particularly clear indication of the change in the political landscape is the situation in Graz. The city, which has traditionally been dominated by the ÖVP and the Greens, made a remarkable turn in the last year's election of the National Council. The SPÖ secured 21 percent of the votes, while the FPÖ just followed. The alternating voters give the parties the opportunity to respond to the different needs of the city and the surrounding area.

This selection processes could also be a reason for the success of the FPÖ, which specializes in addressing tangible topics that affect people's everyday life. The relocation of voices within the traditional electorate, which once stated unshakable to the ÖVP, brings an unexpected dynamic to the election campaign. Political science observations show that this trend not only influences the party political structures, but also the entire political climate of Styria.

The coming weeks will be crucial to determine whether the FPÖ and the SPÖ can actually win the upper hand or whether the ÖVP is recovering their voters. As the choice ends, the voters remain in the hands of the voters and the tension increases. More details on this topic can be found in a detailed report on styria.orf .