After a decade of absolutist system which made any expression of liberal and national ideas irnpossible by force, also the middle class in Lower Styria was sincerely pleased with restoration of constitutional life. On the elections 1861. among the elected candidates those of moderate liberal principles dominated, commonly standing firmly on the ground of constitulion and constitutional libertics, but not being radical. Although all the candidates without exception emphasized during their pre-election campaign, they would also intercede on behalf of the equal status of the Slovene language in the diet (and parliament), the national did not come to the fore during the pre-election time.