FPÖ Continues to Refuse Control of Campaign Costs: Court of Audit Takes Case to Constitutional Court

After the EU election and the National Council election last year, the Court of Audit examined the parties' campaign advertising reports for the first time in accordance with the new Party Law. However, the FPÖ refused to allow access to its report on the EU election campaign, arguing that the legal basis was unconstitutional.

New Audit Competence for Court of Audit According to Strengthened Party Law

According to the Party Law, which was tightened in 2022, parties must submit their reports on actual campaign costs in the 82 days before the election six months after the election, broken down to the Court of Audit. The Court of Audit then examines the reports and can request documents, and on-site inspections are also possible.

Unlike the statutory audit of the campaign advertising reports for the EU election in June of last year, there apparently are no such problems with the audit of campaign costs for the National Council election, which took place about three months later. Although the result of the audit of the FPÖ's campaign advertising report as the only party is still pending here as well, the Court of Audit spokesperson expressed confidence that it would be completed in the coming weeks.

Campaign Costs for EU Election and National Council Election Already Reimbursed

Unlike the National Council election, there is a reimbursement of campaign costs for the EU election, which has already been paid out. This "special party funding" is calculated at 2.5 euros per eligible voter. However, only what the parties actually spent on campaign costs is reimbursed, in proportion to their share of the vote. While ÖVP, Greens, and NEOS spent more than they were entitled to as special funding, FPÖ and SPÖ did not exhaust this. Specifically, the FPÖ, which received the most votes, received 3.7 million euros back, the ÖVP 4.2 million, the SPÖ 3.2 million, the Greens 1.9 million, and the NEOS 1.7 million euros. The ÖVP spent by far the most on the EU election campaign with 6.3 million, the FPÖ according to the campaign advertising report 3.7 million euros, the SPÖ 3.3 million, the Greens 2.7 million, and the NEOS 2.2 million euros.

Referring to this, the party reacted with incomprehension on Wednesday to the move to the Constitutional Court. "This is the world turned upside down: Those who work sparingly, economically, and purposefully have to fear sanctions, while the money destroyers remain unscathed," said the FPÖ Secretary General Michael Schnedlitz in a statement.

Criticism of the Freedom Party came from the ÖVP. The Party Law was adjusted for good reason in 2022 and the competencies of the Court of Audit were expanded, said ÖVP Secretary General Nico Marchetti. "The FPÖ expects full transparency in all matters from others. But as soon as it comes to their own party finances, the FPÖ cannot be secretive enough," he criticized.

(APA/Red)

This article has been automatically translated, read the original article here.