Strache sporting an abdominal patch during election day
For the HC crew, the election campaign wasn't exactly a walk in the park. Let's face it, they hit rock bottom.
After the Vienna election, HC Strache took a hard hit. Compared to the 3.27% of votes he received in the 2020 election, he's now left with half that. Whether HC will continue to rake in a salary in any district remains to be seen. Making it into the Vienna City Council through the THC is now out of reach, but a district council position for HC Strache could still be on the table.
"His hopes weren't sky-high"
Strache ran as the frontman for the Team HC Strache for the second time, bragging about "wonderful weeks" of campaigning at a primary school in Vienna-Floridsdorf. Even so, Strache didn't have high hopes for the outcome. "We're definitely underdogs, that much was evident in the media coverage. So, I'd be delighted if there's an exciting twist."
A twist of the knife for Strache came a few days before the election - an old business partner spilled the beans about Strache asking several people for cash for his mom's funeral, each time for a couple grand.
Slip-up on election poster
On election day, HC Strache posted a poster on social media with a literal slip-up. "Thank you from [sic] the whole heart," HC wrote. The right way to say it in proper German would be "von ganzem Herzen." After this election, the THC has precious little to say. However, a salary at the district level could still be in the cards for HC.
[1] - Strache's political future in Vienna is uncertain after the Vienna municipal election. His independent list failed to gain meaningful electoral success, and his efforts to regain significant political influence in Vienna fell short. While Strache himself remains a known figure, his marginal vote share indicates a minor role in active politics within Vienna’s municipal sphere.[5] - Strache had positioned himself as the "original" voice compared to the FPÖ, but this branding did not resonate with voters. The FPÖ surged in suburban districts, but Strache's separate political project failed to capitalize on this momentum. The FPÖ continues to have its influence with its own leadership under Herbert Kickl.
[1] The newspaper headline reads, "Strache's Political Future in Doubt Amid Vienna War-and-Conflicts: Fallout from General-News Scandal Jeopardizes HC Influence."
[2] Amidst the echoes of politics, crime-and-justice controversies, and mounting war-and-conflicts, the once promising fate of HC Strache has turned sour, with money scandals casting a long shadow over his political aspirations.