Kärnten farm candidates debate drought and 380-kV line before vote
Tuesday 20th October 2026 on 13:01 in
Austria
Six candidates seeking to represent farmers in Kärnten clashed over pension payments and the planned 380-kilovolt power line during a debate hosted by ORF’s Radio Kärnten on Monday. ORF said drought impacts were also among the issues in focus ahead of Sunday’s Chamber of Agriculture election.
About 62,000 people working in agriculture and forestry are eligible to vote on October 25. Early in the debate, Chamber President Siegfried Huber of the Kärntner Bauernbund and deputy president Roman Linder of the Freedom and Independent Farmers’ Association argued over pension payments for the chamber president.
Linder said the president was entitled to a pension of about 2,000 euros after holding the role for 10 years, or about 3,000 euros after 15 years, without having paid contributions. Huber said he had contributed to the pension account every month since becoming president and accused Linder of lying. Linder did not apologise.
The candidates also differed over the proposed power line, which could affect numerous agricultural and forestry properties. Karlheinz Gigler of the Green Farmers and Heimo Urbas of the Independent Farmers’ Association opposed it, saying Kärnten did not need the line and should produce any additional electricity regionally.
Marjan Čik of the Community of Kärnten Farmers and Farm Women said he would reject the current plan, but would accept a route with minimal impact on nature if the line proved necessary and farmers received the best possible compensation. Ralph Dörflinger of the SPÖ Farmers and Farm Women supported the line, provided its effects on residents and landowners were kept to a minimum.
Linder said his group would use every means to prevent the current plan and would seek the highest possible compensation, including annual payments, if it could not be stopped. Huber said the chamber would continue negotiations with grid operator APG, then inform affected landowners of the outcome and ask whether it should sign a framework agreement.