Vienna, Apr. 30, (dpa/GNA) – The Austrian rock musician and politician Dominik Wlazny will be a candidate for his Beer Party in parliamentary elections later this year.

Wlazny, also known by his stage name Marco Pogo, caused a stir when he received more than 8% of the vote in the 2022 Austrian presidential elections.

The satirical Beer Party, which Wlazny founded in 2014, is currently fluctuating between 5% and 7% of the vote in opinion polls.

Austria’s far-right Freedom Party is currently leading in the polls with 30% ahead of the opposition Social Democratic Party and the ruling People’s Party.

The election to Austria’s lower chamber, the National Council, is due to take place by October at the latest.

Wlazny had originally announced that he would only run if his party could grow to 20,000 members by the end of April and secure a budget of €1.2 million ($1.3 million).

Only about half of the funding target was reached, but Wlazny said he remained optimistic.

“Our glass is more than half full,” the 37-year-old said.

GNA