After three election days, the last polling stations closed at 5 p.m. Voter turnout was low but higher than 2021.
At Austria’s universities, students have elected their representatives since Tuesday until today, Thursday at 5 p.m. Around 346,000 students were eligible to vote. In the end, 21.2 percent of those entitled to vote had cast their votes. That’s the second-lowest voter turnout after 2021, when it hit a record low of 15.7 percent.
The absentee ballots had to reach the electoral commission by 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday. A total of around 3,000 pieces came back, which is significantly less than in 2021 (14,000), but also less than before the pandemic – in 2019 there were almost 7,000.
Nine lists are candidates nationwide. In the federal representation, which has 55 mandates, the Association of Socialist Students (VSStÖ) has 14 mandates, the Greens and Alternative Students (GRAS) and the ÖVP-affiliated Action Community (AG) each have twelve. The young liberal students (JUNOS) hold six mandates, and the student council lists (FLÖ) have the same number. Two competing communist student associations (KSV LiLi and KSV Communist Youth/KJÖ) each have two mandates, with the Ring of Freedom Students (RFS) having the last seat. In addition to these eight factions, the new list “Who the F * uck is Herbert” is also on the ballot paper nationwide. The ÖH leadership form a coalition of VSStÖ, GRAS and FLÖ.
The KURIER reports live from the ÖH headquarters in Vienna.
ÖH election
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Today, -105 minutes ago
| Elisabeth Hofer
Now Polaschek speaks
… for him there is not quite as much welcoming applause.
He was always convinced that the student representatives were important for the “representation of the students”, for the small and large problems of the students.
A strong ÖH is important, the more people vote for them, the more they can represent their interests. The fact that voter turnout has increased is a positive sign, says Polaschek.
And: the elections are one thing, but the real work is only just beginning. And the minister thanks him for this work. “Have a party, you deserve it,” he says.
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Today, -102 minutes ago
| Elisabeth Hofer
ÖH-Pension
The electronic election administration system, which was used for the first time this year, worked well overall, says Baier. The failures on the first election day would not affect the validity of the election.
As the chair team, you are now slowly going into “ÖH retirement”, she says and thanks her chair colleagues.
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Today, -98 minutes ago
| Elisabeth Hofer
And now: a speech
Keya Baier (GRAS) from the current Voristz team officially welcomes the guests. Many students exercised their right to vote. There was applause for the turnout of 21.6 percent. Baier speaks of an “absolute trend reversal” compared to 2021. Sara Velić from the VSStÖ sees it a little differently, it is “anything but optimal,” she says. You will have to think about that. But the increase for the last time (15.7 percent) is still a success.
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Today, -93 minutes ago
| Elisabeth Hofer
Even more guests
By the way, Ralph Schallmeiner, health spokesman for the Greens, is also there. -
Today, -89 minutes ago
| Elisabeth Hofer
There’s the minister
Science Minister Martin Polaschek is there now and will be received by the incumbent chairmanship team. There will be a short speech.
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Today, -74 minutes ago
| Elisabeth Hofer
Wait and gratin
While waiting for the results, it slowly fills up. There is potato gratin and chickpea curry.
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Today, -62 minutes ago
| Elisabeth Hofer
Celebrity guests
Prominent guests from politics have already arrived at the ÖH headquarters in Vienna’s Taubstummengasse. Among them the Green MP and former rector Eva Blimlinger and SPÖ women’s chairwoman Eva-Maria Holzleitner. The Minister of Science is due to arrive in a few minutes.
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Today, -60 minutes ago
| Elisabeth Hofer
The turnout…
…is now certain. 21.2 percent of the approximately 346,000 eligible voters at universities, technical colleges (FH) and teacher training colleges took part. That is significantly more than in the last election in 2021 (16 percent), but also significantly less than in previous years, when participation was around 25 percent. The first results are expected later in the evening.
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Today, -59 minutes ago
| Elisabeth Hofer
Welcome
Welcome to the election evening from the ÖH headquarters!
( kurier.at ) | Today, 05:50 PM
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