Vienna election campaign chaos: poster vandalism reaches new dimensions!

Vienna election campaign chaos: poster vandalism reaches new dimensions!

The election campaign in Vienna has led to a worrying increase in vandalism and damage to election posters. A city-funded project documents these interventions and has now reached a high level comparable to the drastic events surrounding the EU referendum in the 1990s. Loud Small newspaper There was a wide range of interventions, ranging from graffiti to constructive contributions, with the FPÖ and the HC team particularly affected.

The interventions address a wide range of socio-political concerns. These include calls for more animal protection, an end to fully slatted floors and geopolitical issues such as the war in Ukraine and the situation in the Gaza Strip. However, political income is particularly often criticized. The different parties show varying levels of concern.

Vandalism and costs

The damage to election campaign materials is significant. According to information from Today Over 600 of the ÖVP's 1,100 approved poster stands were damaged or even destroyed within just ten days. Peter Sverak, the ÖVP regional manager, described these acts as “anti-democratic vandalism” and launched a campaign with the slogan “Those who love Vienna do not destroy election posters”. At the same time, teams of helpers are mobilized to secure posters and minimize damage.

The SPÖ candidate Christoph Lipinski reported targeted damage to his posters in Margareten, while the FPÖ speaks of weekly losses of up to 600 posters that are damaged by graffiti and cutting. All affected parties have filed a complaint, as damage to property can result in up to six months in prison or fines.

Social impact

The political scientist Julia Partheymüller sees the increase in such incidents as a reflection of social polarization. Although the influence of election posters on voter behavior is considered limited, the damage results in significant costs for parties and an unnecessary focus on vandalism rather than on political issues. Another focus is on the different topics that are included in the vandalism, such as migration and the Lobau Autobahn on SPÖ posters, which were sprayed over large areas, possibly as a reflection of the internal disputes within the party.

The ÖVP election posters were not only damaged, but also defaced with swastikas and Hitler beards. Some slogans, such as “Vienna must not become Döbling,” were found on these posters. Green Party posters were less affected, but did show criticism of the Corona policy through stickers. NEOS posters remained largely untouched, except for a few political criticisms mentioned by activists. In contrast, the FPÖ experienced intensive use of captions that attacked candidate Dominik Nepp and confronted the party with insinuations that it was close to Putin.

In summary, the ongoing vandalism shows not only the extreme tensions in the current political climate, but also how election campaigns in the digital age are increasingly characterized by public alienation. This aggression is reflected not only in the physically visible destruction, but also in the way political messages are communicated.

Further information can be found at ORF Vienna.