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Miriam Haselbacher and Ursula Reeger, Vienna, 18 May 2024

 

For our first in-depth exploration of everyday campaigning for the EU elections on the streets of Vienna, we chose a Saturday morning in mid-May, hoping that we would encounter several political parties handing out leaflets and campaign material. We meet at Reumannplatz in Favoriten, the 10th district of Vienna. It is an area with a high share of immigrants and a large weekly market nearby, which is very busy on Saturdays. Already in the metro, we are sitting vis-à-vis a young man wearing a T-Shirt and a bag from the liberal party NEOS. He gets off the same stop as we do and joins a group of NEOS supporters that has gathered at the park at Reumannplatz. They are all covered in pink (the colour of the party), and wave EU-flags. We approach them to chat and the district spokeswoman of the party, who is among them, tells us that the leading candidate of the party will soon arrive in person. She expresses concerns about the ongoing politicization of this part of Favoriten, and admits that it is a difficult area to campaign for a pro-EU party.

 

Destroyed election poster of the FPÖ, with stickers saying “Nobody likes Nazis” or F*ck Nazis”, as well as in handwriting “My Reichs-Chancellor”, a reference to the Nazi regime

We continue walking along the shopping street towards the market, which is already crowded and in full swing. Everywhere on the way, we see election posters, many of them smeared on, destroyed or at least partially demolished (see Foto 1). The whole area is plastered with stickers and small graffiti and is a witness to political disputes that enfold along the left vs right, immigration, inflation, gentrification, and security. Some slogans also touch upon the right to the city and the appropriation of the neighbourhood with slogans like “We’re taking back our Favoriten” or “No Nazi meeting point in our neighbourhood” but we also encounter stickers and posters in other languages.

 

SPÖ Women Favoriten asking “What do we want from the EU”? Answers include i. a. “Protection from violence” (Schutz vor Gewalt), “More women in directorates” (Mehr Frauen in Aufsichtsräten) or “Something completely different” (Ganz etwas anderes)

Next to the market, there is a small booth of the Social Democratic Party SPÖ, where a member from the National Council is handing out coffee, tea and leaflets. The organization of the SPÖ Women of the Favoriten has put a flipchart with various questions on the floor, where people who are passing by are asked to put down what is important to them (see Foto 2). We stay and listen to the conversations; a woman is sharing her concern about the raising living costs, another person says that he is disappointed about the Social Democrats, and a third person states that the party is not supporting disabled persons. After a few minutes, the police drive by to check if the stall has a permit but move on soon.

 

Helmut Brandstätter, the lead candidate of the liberal party NEOS, on his way through the busy market

We continue on and turn our attention to the bustling market while searching for the leading candidate of the NEOS. Finally, we see Helmut Brandstätter, the top candidate of NEOS for the EU-election, in the middle of a narrow and very crowded market road. He is covered in a large EU-flag that he keeps wrapped around him. Around him, the market is bustling—it’s crowded and lively, with vendors loudly advertising their goods. Helmut Brandstätter is very tall, making him easy to spot in the crowd, especially with the flag draped around him. Yet, few people seem to pay attention to him. A large portion of the people in this district have migrant backgrounds, and a significant number of the vendors and buyers present are likely not to be eligible to vote in the EU elections, making the appearance of a person wrapped in an EU flag slightly bizarre.

 

 

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