Austrian parties scrap election events due to floods
Extreme weather hits just two weeks before election
Scheduled events scrapped to focus on emergency response
Nehammer says campaign on hold yet he stays in public eye
By Francois Murphy
VIENNA, Sept 16 (Reuters) -Deadly floods prompted Austrian political parties to cancel or postpone election events scheduled on Monday in what the conservative chancellor called a "pause" in campaigning, though seasoned observers said there was no such thing.
Heavy and sustained rain since Friday has caused the worst flooding in two decades in several central European countries. The hardest-hit part of Austria has been the province of Lower Austria, which surrounds Vienna and borders the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Three people have been killed there so far.
"There is now a pause in the election campaign! We must devote all our energy and attention to disaster management and helping those affected by the storms!" Chancellor Karl Nehammer posted on social media platform X on Sunday afternoon.
With the Sept. 29 parliamentary election less than two weeks away, various parties' campaign events were cancelled, and televised election debates were postponed.
Nehammer, however, has remained in the public eye. He has visited Lower Austria and chaired emergency meetings in Vienna overseeing the crisis response, regularly posting pictures of himself on social media.
"Of course the election campaign continues, only now it's focused on this issue, and he's trying to turn that to his advantage," political analyst Thomas Hofer said.
Other party leaders have also been active on social media. Herbert Kickl of the far-right Freedom Party, which is leading in the polls, posted a video from a bare room thanking the emergency services.
Andreas Babler of the opposition Social Democrats (SPO), who is also mayor of the town of Traiskirchen in Lower Austria, posted videos of himself with emergency services in action there.
At a joint news conference with Nehammer on Monday, Vienna Mayor Michael Ludwig of the SPO demonstrated that there was no political truce.
In the 1970s and 1980s the city dug a massive channel along the Danube to prevent it flooding, which has proven effective. The main source of flooding there this weekend was the usually tiny Vienna River.
Without naming Nehammer's People's Party, Ludwig reminded voters that it put up "fierce political resistance" to the Danube flood protection at the time.
"We have come through this situation well because we expanded flood protection massively very early on, many years ago," Ludwig said as Nehammer stood next to him.
Reporting by Francois Murphy
Editing by Christina Fincher
Latest News
Disclaimer: The XM Group entities provide execution-only service and access to our Online Trading Facility, permitting a person to view and/or use the content available on or via the website, is not intended to change or expand on this, nor does it change or expand on this. Such access and use are always subject to: (i) Terms and Conditions; (ii) Risk Warnings; and (iii) Full Disclaimer. Such content is therefore provided as no more than general information. Particularly, please be aware that the contents of our Online Trading Facility are neither a solicitation, nor an offer to enter any transactions on the financial markets. Trading on any financial market involves a significant level of risk to your capital.
All material published on our Online Trading Facility is intended for educational/informational purposes only, and does not contain – nor should it be considered as containing – financial, investment tax or trading advice and recommendations; or a record of our trading prices; or an offer of, or solicitation for, a transaction in any financial instruments; or unsolicited financial promotions to you.
Any third-party content, as well as content prepared by XM, such as: opinions, news, research, analyses, prices and other information or links to third-party sites contained on this website are provided on an “as-is” basis, as general market commentary, and do not constitute investment advice. To the extent that any content is construed as investment research, you must note and accept that the content was not intended to and has not been prepared in accordance with legal requirements designed to promote the independence of investment research and as such, it would be considered as marketing communication under the relevant laws and regulations. Please ensure that you have read and understood our Notification on Non-Independent Investment. Research and Risk Warning concerning the foregoing information, which can be accessed here.
