Just weeks ahead of Vienna’s municipal elections, a scandal has emerged over a Freedom Party (FPÖ) candidate in Donaustadt (Vienna’s 22nd district) who was convicted under Austria’s Nazi Prohibition Act in December 2024.
Robert Podany, a former district councillor and long-time FPÖ figure in Donaustadt, had been seeking a return to politics with a place on the party’s district council candidate list.
But according to Der Standard, his criminal record should have automatically disqualified him from running.
A conviction that went unnoticed - until now
Podany was sentenced in December to 17 months in prison, suspended for three years, after being found guilty of 89 counts of violating Austria’s Verbotsgesetz (Prohibition Act), which bans the promotion of National Socialist ideology. The case stemmed from an investigation that began in 2020, in which police discovered Nazi memorabilia and “disturbing messages: during a house search, the newspaper said.
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Among the items found: a wine bottle bearing the slogan “Ein Volk, ein Reich, ein Führer,” mugs with the Nazi code 88 and an image of Nazi pilot Walter Nowotny, and clothing from the far-right Thor Steinar brand.
Investigators also found Podany had shared anti-Semitic jokes and messages glorifying the Holocaust in WhatsApp groups, and maintained contact with prominent neo-Nazis including Gottfried Küssel.
Despite this conviction, Podany managed to appear on the FPÖ’s candidate list for Vienna-Donaustadt, in an electable seventh position.
According to Vienna election rules, specifically section 42 of the Vienna municipal council election regulations, anyone convicted under the Prohibition Act is ineligible to stand for office.
FPÖ says it wasn’t informed
The issue only came to light thanks to the research platform Stoppt die Rechten, which attended Podany’s trial late last year and recently spotted his name on the candidate list, according to Der Standard report.
In response to questions from the Austrian paper, the FPÖ Vienna’s press spokesman said the party had not been notified of Podany’s conviction in time.
"The FPÖ was not informed of this fact. Unfortunately, we were also not informed in good time by the responsible municipal department," the spokesperson said, referring to Vienna’s municipal election authority, MA 62.
The city has since requested Podany’s criminal record to verify the disqualification. The FPÖ says it immediately contacted Podany and that he is “no longer a member.” However, his name will remain on the ballot, as the lists have already been finalised.
READ ALSO: What EU citizens in Vienna should know about voting in April's local elections
What happens now?
While Podany will remain on the ballot, it’s now unlikely he will return to public office, Der Standard said. The incident has raised fresh questions about candidate screening and political accountability - especially within the FPÖ, which has faced past controversies involving extremism in its ranks, as reported by Der Standard.
The case also puts pressure on the Vienna election authority, which is now reviewing how Podany’s conviction went undetected during the candidate approval process.
Vienna elections take place on April 27th, when Austrian citizens will vote on the municipal (and state) level, and Austrian and EU citizens can vote for district representatives.
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