Styria Election: FPÖ Exceeded Spending Limit

In the Styrian state election of 2024, the FPÖ exceeded the legally established spending limit for election advertising, set since 2019, by 172,632.76 euros. This result was published by the State Audit Office (LRH) on Thursday. It could not be clearly determined whether other parties exceeded the maximum amount of one million euros. A definitive conclusion was not possible, as it was unclear which expenses needed to be included in the audit.

According to the LRH, the election campaign kickoff of the ÖVP took place in November 2024 with over 1,000 attendees at the Messe Graz. This event, as well as the subsequent tour through twelve districts with regional events, was not considered in the election campaign cost listing. "According to the ÖVP, these were 'internal party events with exclusively invited guests (officials, members)' and therefore had no public election campaign relevance," states the LRH audit report. The LRH counters that there was a temporal connection to the state election and features of an election campaign event were recognizable. The dates of the district tour might also have needed to be declared as election campaign events.

"Based on the objective costs of comparable events (e.g., for rent, catering, security services, cleaning), considering the relevant event costs, an exceeding of the election advertising spending limit of one million euros would have been expected, especially since the ÖVP's submitted listing already showed expenses of around 982,000 euros," according to the LRH.

Legislative Amendment Before Styrian Election 2019

Shortly before the 2019 state election, a legislative amendment was enacted stipulating that parties may not spend more than one million euros on election advertising between the key date and election day. For the state election 2024, the period from September 23 to November 24, 2024, was decisive. The election cost listings of all nine parties that participated in the 2024 state election were submitted on time, no later than six months after the election, on May 24, 2025, to the LRH.

"Election advertising expenses are expenses for state election-specific services, the provision of which for the political party or use by the political party occurs between the key date and election day," according to the Styrian Party Funding Constitutional Law. This includes costs for posters, mailings, direct advertising, giveaways, and internet advertising appearances, as well as especially for advertisements and placements in print, radio, and audiovisual media. Personnel costs and election campaign events are also included.

According to the LRH, it was noticeable that the FPÖ invested particularly heavily in "advertisements and placements in print, radio, and audiovisual media." They reported expenses amounting to 324,532.91 euros. The SPÖ ranked second here with 244,248.5 euros. In terms of "internet advertising costs," the Greens led with 149,954.07 euros. The ÖVP, in second place, spent about 50,000 euros less in this segment.

Control by State Audit Office

The State Audit Office (LRH) checks the numerical accuracy and completeness of the election campaign cost lists submitted by the parties. "In addition, discussions were held with the political parties as well as further independent research," according to the LRH. If the upper limit is exceeded, fines can be imposed. These are deducted from party funding. If the spending limit is exceeded by up to 250,000 euros, the fine is half of the excess amount. If the spending limit is exceeded by more than 250,000 euros, it amounts to 100 percent of the excess amount.

Since it is not clearly enough regulated which costs must be included in the calculations and different views of the parties have emerged, it was not possible for the LRH to conduct an objective plausibility check of the election campaign expenses listed by the parties. Therefore, it recommends a clarification regarding the allocation of expenses to the individual service areas. "In any case, according to its own statements, the FPÖ exceeded the election campaign spending limit," the audit report states: "The other eight parties participating in the 2024 state election did not exceed the election campaign spending limit according to their own statements."

SPÖ Wants "Admission of Guilt"

The Styrian SPÖ state manager Florian Seifter responded to the audit report with a press release: The election campaign cost ceiling was introduced to ensure careful handling of taxpayers' money and to enable fair competition. It is not about "some trifles," but about compliance with the laws. "I expect at least an admission of guilt and that the penalty for it is accepted," he said, referring to the excesses of the FPÖ and possibly also the ÖVP.

"One must give the FPÖ credit for at least admitting to having broken the law. The ÖVP, on the other hand, is tricking to maintain power," said Niko Swatek, club chairman of NEOS Styria, in response to the audit report. The NEOS demanded "comprehensive transparency and not just during election campaign times" as well as full insight for the Court of Audit. The KPÖ criticized the handling of taxpayers' money. "That the FPÖ exceeded the upper limit is problematic enough - but that the ÖVP is also trying to cover up its excess is simply scandalous," said KPÖ club chairwoman Claudia Klimt-Weithaler.

(APA/Red)

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