Sticker chaos in Trostberg: Unauthorized election advertising elsewhere!

Sticker chaos in Trostberg: Unauthorized election advertising elsewhere!

In the small town of Trostberg in the Traunstein district, a surprising election advertisement is causing a stir: small blue stickers from a right-wing populist party appear on lampposts, railings and traffic signs. Hans Stalleicher has documented in detail how this unauthorized advertising not only burdens the cityscape, but also violates the applicable rules. According to the regulations, parties are only allowed to advertise on designated billboards before the district elections on June 29th. The city administration emphasizes that sticking on traffic signs is not only illegal, but also represents an interference with the road traffic regulations.

During a tour of the city, Stalleicher discovered that this is not a new phenomenon, but the fresh stickers are putting a strain on public spaces. Together with his wife, he removed around 30 stickers in Schwarzau over two days and hopes to contribute to a “stable center” in Trostberg. His actions illustrate how important it is to take a stand against inappropriate political advertising.

Unauthorized election advertising and its effects

Why are such stickers even problematic? They are part of a larger strategy that right-wing populist parties use to mobilize voters through emotional appeals. Jörg Matthes, a journalism scholar at the University of Vienna, sheds light on the dangers of such “fear posters,” which often use stereotypical depictions and derogatory slogans to arouse negative emotions among people toward foreigners. Exemplary slogans such as “Daham instead of Islam” or “Maria instead of Sharia!” come from the repertoire of these parties and aim to give foreign citizens negative connotations.

Matthes' research shows that emotional advertising not only provokes short-term reactions, but can also shape long-term attitudes. A study that he conducted together with Franziska Marquart showed that the effect of “fear posters” is particularly pronounced when the level of education of those affected is low. Participants were divided into groups and exposed to different posters, and a striking increase in anxiety levels was noted.

Reactions to the new election advertising

Despite Stalleicher's efforts to remove the stickers, city officials report there is no evidence of a large-scale sticker glut. Citizens' office staff have also spotted some of these stickers, but they are confident they will contact those responsible if the problem grows. The city is therefore at a crossroads: it is important to counteract the possible further spread of such unauthorized election advertising and at the same time to create a place where political communication can take place fairly and transparently.

In summary, the current incident in Trostberg shows that unauthorized election advertising not only has legal but also social consequences. The challenges arising from the use of emotionalizing and discriminatory advertising are enormous. Consciously addressing these issues could potentially influence the design of future election advertising.

The relevance of this topic is underlined by the discussion about the influence and impact of election advertising. According to one Report from Spiegel The question of whether posters still work today is anything but clear.