23 million euros: Parties are fighting for voting in Vorarlberg!

23 million euros: Parties are fighting for voting in Vorarlberg!

For the 2024 state election campaign in Vorarlberg, the five state parliament parties have spent a total of 2.3 million euros. Here, 1.3 million euros are reported to the ÖVP, FPÖ and nearby organizations, such as [vienna.at] (https://www.vienna.at/parties-steckten-23-mio-euro-in-vorarlberger-lt- elections/9439103). The ÖVP led the expenses with a total of 736,000 euros, divided into various sources: 666,000 euros from the state party, 47,000 euros from the business association, 13,700 euros from municipal groups and 3,700 euros from individual candidates. In addition, the FPÖ invested 638,000 euros, almost entirely from the state party. Smaller contributions came from city party groups and candidates.

The Greens spent 397,000 euros, while the NEOS and the SPÖ spent 289,000 euros or 264,000 euros, also largely from their state organizations. As part of the party funding law introduced in the previous year, the parties are obliged to submit accountable reports on assets, liabilities and income annually. This innovation means that election advertising reports must also be created for the first time after the state election.

regulations and election posters

The party funding law has regulated products for the election campaigns more strictly. The parties must specify the number of locations for their election posters. The ÖVP, for example, spent 72,000 euros for 276 locations, while the NEOs spent 63,000 euros for 274 and the FPÖ 60,000 euros for 45 locations. The Greens invested 41,000 euros in 300 locations, while the SPÖ completed 23,000 euros for 250 locations.

In addition, compliance with these regulations by the State Audit Office will be checked from 2023, whereby the first result of these exams is not expected before autumn 2025. This is done against the background that party financing in western democracies, including Germany, is common practice. A legal basis for the financing of public funds was the judgment of the Federal Constitutional Court of April 9, 1992, which enables mixing financing from private and public funds. Here, state grants do not have to exceed the upper limit of the self-generated income, such as [bpb.de] (https://www.bpb.de/themen/politis-ssystem/wahlen-in-deutschland/335674/ Wahlkampfkosten/).

challenges of party financing

Development to professionalize the election campaigns leads to higher demands on the parties. In order to meet the continuously increasing costs, new sources of income must be developed. Smaller parties are often disadvantageous, since they can show fewer members and hardly any noteworthy income, which applies in particular to new start -ups such as the satirical party, the party and the family, which have received significantly fewer state funding, according to their own demands, such as mdr.de.

Party financing is also strongly influenced by the number of members. A decline in members leads to falling grants, while successful donation acquisition can be determined, especially among business -related parties such as the CDU or FDP. Ultimately, state support for state -political tasks remains indispensable in order to meet the different financing opportunities of the parties.