State election in Burgenland 2010
The 20th state election in Burgenland 2010 took place on May 30, 2010. According to the official final result, including the voting cards, the Social Democratic Party of Austria (SPÖ) missed the desired absolute majority of votes and mandate with 48.3% and the loss of a mandate. The Austrian People's Party (ÖVP) also recorded a loss of 1.8% with 34.6%, but was able to maintain its mandate. The Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ) won an additional mandate with a vote increase of 3.2 percentage points and a vote share of 9.0%. The Greens Burgenland (GRÜNE) lost 1.1%, with 4.2% they made it into the Landtag with one mandate (2005: 2). The Burgenland List (LBL), which ran for the first time in the election, is also represented with a mandate in the state parliament with a result of 4.0%. The Alliance Future Austria (BZÖ) decided not to run for financial reasons.
Starting position
In the 2005 state elections , the SPÖ achieved 52.2%. With a plus of 5.6%, the SPÖ was able to regain the absolute majority it had lost in 1987 and, with 19 out of 36 mandates, achieved an absolute majority for the first time since this election, with the SPÖ benefiting above all from the FPÖ's losses. As in the previous elections, the ÖVP took second place, but with an increase of 1.1%, it benefited far less from the FPÖ's losses. As in 2005, ÖVP achieved 13 mandates with 36.4%. The FPÖ did not even achieve half of its original result in 2005 and, with a loss of 6.9%, only came to 5.8%. For the FPÖ, this meant the worst result since 1982 and the loss of two of its four seats to date. The Greens achieved a share of 5.2% of the vote with a slight loss of 0.3%, which allowed them to keep their two mandates. The Austrian Citizens and Business Party , on the other hand, failed to enter the state parliament.
Despite the absolute majority of the SPÖ's mandate in the state parliament, after the state elections in 2005, the state government consisted of members of the SPÖ and ÖVP due to the proportional representation system. The provincial government Niessl II under governor Hans Niessl consisted of four SPÖ and three ÖVP members. After the government work had not run smoothly before, the state parliament was dissolved in a special session on December 21, 2009 at the request and with the votes of the SPÖ state parliament members. The SPÖ justified its move with the differences between the SPÖ and the ÖVP on the issues of the state budget, assistance and the failed reform of the state constitution. The coalition partner ÖVP and the opposition parties FPÖ and Greens do not agree to the SPÖ's proposal. The ÖVP had not previously approved the reform of the state constitution with the abolition of proportional representation, as it had not wanted to be put under time pressure.
Election date
After the premature dissolution of the state parliament, the SPÖ preferred May 2, 2010, with media commentators particularly seeing the recent election of the Federal President and the May 1st celebrations as possible advantages for the SPÖ. The Deputy Governor Franz Steindl (ÖVP), who was responsible for setting the election date, subsequently set May 30th as the election day. He justified his decision by stating that May 2nd was not an ideal election day, as otherwise voters would have to vote for the second time within a week after the federal presidential election, and that day would also be the day of the fire brigade . May 9th would be out of the question due to Mother's Day , May 16th would have to be reserved for a possible second ballot for the Federal President's election. The following weekend of Pentecost would also be unsuitable as election day. As a result, the SPÖ presented an opinion by constitutional lawyer Heinz Mayer , according to which May 30th was unconstitutional as an election date, but May 30th remained an election day.
Suffrage
The 2010 regional election in Burgenland was carried out in accordance with the 1995 regional election regulations (LTWO 1995), whereby the active voting age had been reduced to 16 years prior to the 2005 regional election. In the 2010 state elections, according to the LTWO 1995, all those persons were actively eligible to vote who had reached the age of 16 on the election day, May 30, 2010, and who were Austrian citizens on March 10, 2010. In addition, those eligible to vote had to be domiciled in a municipality in Burgenland and could not be excluded from voting. A main residence in Burgenland was deemed to be a residence within the meaning of the LTWO 1995. In addition, a place of residence within the meaning of the LTWO 1995 applies if a person had settled in a place in Burgenland with the intention of making it a focus of their economic, professional, family or social living conditions, whereby at least two of these criteria had to be met. On the other hand, the final conviction by a domestic court for one or more deliberate criminal acts to a prison sentence of more than one year was considered to be excluded from the election. The exclusion ended six months after the execution of the sentence.
In the state elections in 2010, all those persons who had the right to vote and who had reached the age of 18 on election day had the right to stand as a candidate.
The mandates were awarded according to the LTWO 1995 in two preliminary investigations, with Burgenland for the first preliminary investigation in the constituencies 1 (Neusiedl), 2 (Eisenstadt), 3 (Mattersburg), 4 (Oberpullendorf), 5 (Oberwart), 6 ( Güssing) and 7 (Jennersdorf) and between two and seven mandates were awarded per constituency. The votes that were not used were introduced into the second preliminary investigation and the mandates were subsequently awarded according to the state nominations.
Survey
The OGM poll published before the start of the election campaign predicted that the SPÖ would lose an absolute majority with 48%. In addition, OGM forecast the ÖVP with 34% small losses and the FPÖ with 10% higher profits. According to the OGM, the Greens remained unchanged at 5% at that time, while the Burgenland list would have missed entry into the state parliament with 2%. The polls published in May forecast the SPÖ to be between 49 and 52%, which meant that reaching an absolute majority was within reach. While the institutes GMK and Gallup attested the ÖVP with massive losses of 28 to 31%, Market saw the ÖVP even make profits with 38%. While GMK and Gallup calculated between 9 and 11% for the FPÖ, Market only saw the FPÖ at 7%. The Greens were given between 5 and 9% in the polls in May, while the pollsters saw the LBL under the threshold for entry into the state parliament.
Ballot
In addition to voting in person at the polling station, voting on election day was also possible using a voting card, which had to be requested in the municipality of residence by 12 noon on May 28, 2010 at the latest. With the voting card, those entitled to vote could cast their votes in all voting card polling stations in Burgenland. In addition, it was possible for those entitled to vote to send their voting card to the district electoral authority by postal vote, whereby the voting card had to be received by the district electoral authority (district authorities) no later than 2 June 2010, 2 p.m. In addition to the election of the party, those entitled to vote could also give one preferential vote at the state level and up to three preferential votes at the constituency level, whereby each candidate could only receive one preferential vote. The preferential vote had a stronger effect than the vote for a party, i.e. H. if a party was ticked, but a preferential vote was given to the candidate of another party, this vote also applies to the candidate's party.
Campaigning parties
Social Democratic Party of Austria (SPÖ)
After the Social Democratic Party of Austria held primary elections at the district level, in which, according to party information, around 1,000 people participated, the 72 candidates for the state list were elected on February 20, 2010 at a state party council in Mattersburg. The incumbent Governor Hans Niessl , who received 100% of the 137 votes cast, was chosen as the top candidate . In the foreground of the SPÖ election campaign is the "No" to the planned asylum center in Eberau and the extension of the armed forces' assistance. Governor Niessl's election goal was to hold an absolute majority.
Austrian People's Party (ÖVP)
The executive committee of the Austrian People's Party in Burgenland , a 33-member body, unanimously selected Deputy Governor Franz Steindl as the top candidate for the state elections in Burgenland on January 18, 2010 at the proposal of the party presidium . The ranking of the state list was decided in April. In its election slogan “What is it really about: 2010 - 2015”, the ÖVP put the creation of jobs first, whereby these are to be achieved through investments in infrastructure, better education, reduction of bureaucracy and the compatibility of work and family. In addition, the ÖVP emphasized in its election program the commitment to the chances of the "boys" through the fight against youth unemployment and educational support, campaigned for increased home nursing and regional generation centers and stood under the slogan "Being hardworking must be worthwhile" among other things for the transfer account . Steindl, who had announced for a long time that he wanted to become governor in 2010, lowered his election goal during the election campaign and ultimately only wanted to “become stronger”.
Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ)
In a retreat on February 6, 2010, the Burgenland regional party executive committee of the Austrian Freedom Party , with around 20 members , elected the Burgenland party and club chairman Johann Tschürtz as the top candidate. The state list was also decided by the party executive. The FPÖ gave the double-digit percentage and entry into the state government as the election target. In the state election campaign, as in the state elections in 2005, the Freedom Party focused on the issues of home and security and want to deport criminal asylum seekers immediately.
The Greens - The Green Alternative (GREEN)
After the previous club chairwoman of the Greens Margarethe Krojer had announced that she would run for second place on the state list and Joško Vlasich had withdrawn to an ineligible list position, the Burgenland Greens presented the former Green press spokesman Michel Reimon as a top candidate in mid-January 2010. Reimon was subsequently elected on January 30, 2010 at a state assembly in Mattersburg with 60 out of 61 votes. The other six places were also chosen at this state assembly. In their election manifesto, the Greens put the issues of “humanity” and environmental protection first, and the Greens devote a lot of space to core subjects such as democracy and education as well as economic issues, spatial planning and infrastructure. Margarethe Krojer, second in the list, declared breaking the absolute majority of the SPÖ as the electoral target, while top candidate Reimon announced that he would achieve a seven percent share of the vote or three mandates and thus gain an additional mandate.
Burgenland list (LBL)
For the Burgenland List (LBL), a platform of lists of citizens and names that had already started in the municipal council elections in 2007 under the collective name of Platform Free Citizens Lists, the Board of Directors made a proposal for the state list, which was presented at an electoral convention on February 28, 2010 in Bad Sauerbrunn was voted on. At the electoral convention, Manfred Kölly was chosen in an open vote as the top candidate on the list that will be running for the first time in a state election. The LBL stated that two to four mandates should be achieved as the election target, the most important issues in the state election campaign were anti-party book management and the strengthening of local government.
Campaign budgets
The ÖVP put its campaign budget at 600,000 euros, a figure that was however questioned by the political opponent FPÖ. The FPÖ itself gave the media an election budget of 300,000 euros. The Greens invest 150,000 euros in the state election campaign, the LBL reported 200,000 euros as an election campaign budget, with the district organizations responsible for the finances.
Campaign issues
Assistance deployment in Burgenland
The dominant topic of the state election campaign was the topic of security and the related discussion about the continuation of the assistance deployment in the border area of Burgenland. Governor Niessl and Defense Minister Norbert Darabos repeatedly called during the election campaign to continue the constitutionally controversial assistance deployment beyond the previously agreed year 2010. Chancellor Werner Faymann also advocated an extension of the assistance deployment before the state elections. As an alternative to extending the deployment of assistance, the SPÖ demanded the dispatch of an additional 300 police officers to Burgenland, but this was rejected by Interior Minister Maria Fekter (ÖVP) with reference to the “good security situation” and the high number of police officers. In addition, Fekter pointed out that any extension of the assistance assignment would have to be paid for from the defense budget and that a decision on whether to continue the assistance assignment would not be made until autumn. The Greens brought the issue of assistance to Parliament with an urgent request to Defense Minister Darabos, with the Greens criticizing what they believed to be pointless assistance. In fact, in 2009 only nine illegal immigrants and no smugglers were picked up by the assistance mission in Burgenland and Lower Austria. Niessl's demand for an extension of the assistance assignment and the previous rejection of the planned asylum center in Eberau resulted in him being accused of populism by political opponents and journalists.
Preferential votes
The change in electoral law implemented by the SPÖ in December 2009, which changed the allocation of preferential votes, led to heated discussions. While the vote for a party previously weighed heavier than a preferential vote, the principle preferential vote over party vote has now been introduced. As a result, whoever ticks Party X and gives a valid preferential vote to a candidate from Party Y, automatically also Party Y. While the SPÖ described the change in electoral law as a progress in direct democracy, the opposition parties opposed the new regulation massively. Among other things, a possible confusion among voters was criticized, since, for example, the municipal electoral code in Burgenland enables the mayor to be elected against one's own party vote. However, the ÖVP was inhibited in its criticism, since the regulation in Burgenland corresponds to that in the ÖVP-dominated Lower Austria. In addition, Governor Niessl himself was criticized after he had sent a letter to those eligible to vote expressly stating that the Governor could now be directly elected. The Greens then spoke of an electoral deception, top candidate Michel Reimon even described this statement as a "crystal clear lie", since the governor can only be elected by the state parliament. The FPÖ and ÖVP also agreed with this assessment, with the ÖVP speaking of “red voter deception with a system”. Niessl, on the other hand, defended the letter and saw it as an opportunity to strengthen him as governor.
Election result
| Results 2010 | Results 2005 | Differences | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eligible voters | 248,694 | 242,218 | + 6,476 | |||||||
| voter turnout | 77.30% | 81.38% | - 4.08% | |||||||
| be right | % | Mand. | be right | % | Mand. | be right | % | Mand. | ||
| Votes cast | 192.246 | 197.127 | - 4,881 | |||||||
| Invalid | 3,286 | 1.71% | 4,537 | 2.30% | - 1,251 | - 0.59% | ||||
| Valid | 188,960 | 98.29% | 192,590 | 97.70% | - 3,630 | 0.59% | ||||
| Political party | ||||||||||
| Social Democratic Party of Austria (SPÖ) | 91.185 | 48.26% | 18th | 100,497 | 52.18% | 19th | - 9,312 | - 3.92% | - 1 | |
| Austrian People's Party (ÖVP) | 65,411 | 34.62% | 13 | 70,057 | 36.38% | 13 | - 4,646 | - 1.76% | ± 0 | |
| Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ) | 16,970 | 8.98% | 3 | 11,077 | 5.75% | 2 | + 5,893 | + 3.23% | + 1 | |
| The Greens - The Green Alternative (GREEN) | 7,835 | 4.15% | 1 | 10,043 | 5.21% | 2 | - 2,208 | - 1.06% | - 1 | |
| Burgenland list (LBL) | 7,559 | 4.00% | 1 | not running | + 7,559 | + 4.00% | + 1 | |||
| Austrian Citizens and Business Party (ÖBWP) | not running | 916 | 0.48% | 0 | - 916 | - 0.48% | - 0 | |||
| total | 188,960 | 100.00% | 36 | 192,590 | 100.00% | 36 | - 3,630 | |||
Election fraud
After the public prosecutor's office for corruption began investigations, Wilhelm Heißenberger (ÖVP), the mayor of the Unterrabnitz-Schwendgraben community , confessed to having forged 13 voting cards by hand.
It is assumed that the forged votes fell on the Burgenland list , which exceeded the necessary 4 percent hurdle for entry into the state parliament with one vote. After the electoral fraud became known, the FPÖ announced a new election application, but did not introduce it.
Heißenberger himself, whom the ÖVP municipal council of Unterrabnitz expressed their confidence in, did not resign until October 31, 2010. In the subsequent by-election, the ÖVP candidate Franz Haspel clearly won.
literature
- Franz Schausberger : The 2010 state elections in Burgenland . In: Franz Schausberger (ed.): Yearbook for Regionalism 2011. Institute of the Regions of Europe Short Studies 9/2011 . Salzburg. Pp. 42-73, ISBN 978-3-902557-10-0
- Georg Pehm : About political strategies, unexpected ricochets and considerable aftermath. The Burgenland state elections 2010 from Eberau to Unterrabnitz . In: Karl A. Duffek / Peter Filzmaier / Peter Plaikner (eds.): Federal states and state parliaments. Federalism and political competition, Austrian characteristics and international comparison, (Edition netPOL Political Communication Volume 3) . Vienna, 2012. pp. 106-131, ISBN 978-3708906386
Web links
- Province of Burgenland Municipal, regional and federal elections
Individual evidence
- ↑ ORF Burgenland "BZÖ will not run in state elections", April 4, 2010
- ↑ ORF Burgenland politics: resolution of the state parliament is resolved, December 21, 2009
- ^ ORF Burgenland Politics: Speculation about election date, November 17, 2009
- ↑ ORF Burgenland Politics: Dispute over election date goes into next round, January 20, 2010
- ^ ORF Burgenland Politics: Tug-of-war over election date continues, February 9, 2010
- ↑ ots.at "NEWS-OGM survey on the upcoming state elections in Burgenland", December 9, 2009
- ↑ derstandard.at "Niessl's SPÖ could just keep absolute", May 14, 2010
- ↑ ORF Burgenland “The election forecasts of opinion researchers”, May 18, 2010
- ↑ ots.at "AUSTRIA survey: Niessl before the Absolute", May 22, 2010
- ↑ a b c d e derstandard.at “Parties elected Spitzenkandidaten”, March 25, 2010
- ^ Salzburger Nachrichten : “Populism in Pannonian”, May 15, 2010
- ↑ Salzburger Nachrichten : “We create the turnaround”, May 8, 2010
- ↑ Election program of the ÖVP Burgenland ( page no longer available , search in web archives ) Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. "What is it really about: 2010 - 2015".
- ↑ Courier : "Pannonian trial run", 30. April 2010
- ↑ a b c ORF Burgenland “Wahl2010: The goals of the parties”. (No longer available online.) Formerly in the original ; accessed on August 27, 2015 . ( Page no longer available , search in web archives )
- ^ Election program of the Green Burgenland ( Memento of the original from September 3, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. (PDF; 4.7 MB)
- ↑ a b ORF Burgenland : “Green top candidate Reimon in conversation”, May 6, 2010
- ↑ The standard : "Burgenland-Greens rely on new top candidates Krojer may have waived first place on the list", January 13, 2010
- ↑ ORF Burgenland “ÖVP sets line for election campaign”, March 8, 2010
- ↑ derstandard.at “FPÖ-Burgenland wants to limit election costs”, March 12, 2010
- ↑ ORF Burgenland "Greens rely on" humanity "and the environment", April 26, 2010
- ^ ORF Burgenland "LBL in the state election campaign", April 19, 2010
- ↑ ORF Burgenland "Darabos & Niessl defend assistance deployment", May 18, 2010
- ↑ a b ORF Burgenland “Faymann for extension before the election”, May 11, 2010
- ↑ a b ORF Burgenland “Fekter does not respond to SPÖ demand”, May 10, 2010
- ↑ ORF Burgenland “Assistance Deployment Topic in Parliament”, May 20, 2010
- ↑ orf.at "Fuss about Lopatka-Sager for assistance"
- ↑ derstandard.at "Burgenland is facing a choice of direction this Sunday", May 28, 2010
- ↑ kurier.at: "The Endgame of Regional Populism" ( Memento from September 20, 2008 in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ ORF Burgenland “State Election: Two New Features for Voters”, May 5, 2010
- ↑ derstandard.at “Confusion about preferential voting rules. A change in electoral law is causing controversy and confusion in Burgenland ”, May 20, 2010
- ↑ derstandard.at "Niessl annoys other parties with preferential votes campaign", May 26, 2010
- ^ ORF Burgenland "Niessl on letter:" Artificial excitement "", May 27, 2010
- ^ Province of Burgenland election results of the 2010 state elections, May 31, 2010
- ↑ derStandard.at "VP local chief of Unterrabnitz admits election fraud", October 7, 2010
- ↑ Der Standard : Fraud in state elections suspected September 8, 2010
- ↑ a b Der Standard : Unterrabnitzer local chief announces resignation , October 8, 2010
- ↑ Der Standard : FPÖ waives election contestation , June 18, 2010
- ↑ Der Standard : Voting fraud in Burgenland: VP municipal councils trust election fraudsters , October 7, 2010
- ^ Die Presse : Unterrabnitz: ÖVP wins clearly despite the election card affair , February 28, 2011
