A sobering end for the Austrian beer party

Around four months ago, I wrote about the Austrian beer party. A group that promised some the dream of reform and others the simpler pleasure of a cheaper pint. It sadly delivered on neither. With the party's end in its current state being announced February 3rd, there are several questions to be answered. Why is the bar closing? What could be the future for this group? And where did the funding go?

The Austrian Beer Party, a satirical political group founded by Dominik Wlazny (alias Marco Pogo), gained attention for its mix of humor, populist rhetoric, and pledges to lower beer prices while advocating for social reform.

In a statement on Feb 3rd, it simply states:

“The Beer Party will not be running in the upcoming elections in Vienna, nor in any other election. It is closing its chapter as a political party in the traditional sense and moving on in a different way. Back to its roots, so to speak. The Beer Party remains critical, it remains vigilant, and that is urgently needed, especially in times like these. Special thanks go to all voters, supporters, volunteers, and members who have supported the Beer Party over many years.” - Please excuse any translation mistakes

Its critics have highlighted a poorly National Council election campaign, filled with mismatched promises as the ultimate failure of the party. Perhaps the bar got too busy for its own good? It seems that their platform ultimately struggled to gain as widespread traction as they had hoped, with my previous piece highlighting that they did not reach the member and funding numbers they had hoped prior to the 2024 elections. From an outside looking in perspective, this sadly seems like a bit of a fad. Other problems seemed to stem from issues over what the public perceived the party to be actually standing for, and a perceived lack of seriousness. 

However, this is not the complete end for the movement. They have promised to move in another direction, “back to its roots”. This likely means they will act as a kind of pressure group, likely maintaining their previously stated goal as "Bin in einer Reformbewegung" (I am in a reform movement). Where much of their policy was mainly focused was on equality, freedom of the arts, and other generally liberal stances. It is likely these will remain the priorities of the group. Hopefully they don't stop giving out free beer either!

The major issue that has come out of all of this however is the approximate €300,000 party funding received at the end of 2024. With the party ending operation, where will this money go? Party members had to pay €59 in membership fees, adding up to an estimated €590,000 more that is yet to be accounted for. These discrepancies in the use of funding, with much of the campaign ran poorly and cheaply (adding to the lack of success in 2024), hang a dark cloud over a party that aimed to be humorous. There is nothing funny about losing drinking money. 

While there is still likely to be some kind of future, many members will undoubtedly be disappointed with the events that have unfolded after the 3rd Feb. It is unlikely that there will be any reimbursement. Sadly, a glass half full approach to politics has met a sobering end.