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In the state capital, the SPÖ and the Greens could form a coalition. The elections did not bring clear trends, but they did bring second round elections in six municipalities.
Vienna The Vorarlberg city council elections did not show a clear trend, the results were obviously highly dependent on local conditions. Unsurprisingly, the ÖVP or lists close to it have reappointed mayor in many municipalities. But other parties have also had respectable successes. The Greens generally performed quite well, the leader of the state party SPÖ, Michael Ritsch, reached the second round in the state capital, Bregenz, against the incumbent mayor and the former leader of the FPÖ Dieter Egger is still mayor of Hohenems.
In general, there will be second round duels on the mayor’s question in six municipalities of Vorarlberg in two weeks: in Hard, Bludenz, Lech am Arlberg, Lochau (Bregenz district) and in the provincial capital Bregenz and in Feldkirch.
The election was already the second attempt: the first attempt had been the victim of the crown pandemic: the municipal and mayor elections in Vorarlberg should have been held on March 15. But in view of the outbreak of the pandemic at the time and the decision to send Austria to closure, the elections were canceled on short notice. The fact that the second attempt is now accompanied by a second wave of the pandemic is not without a certain irony.
The postponement definitely had an effect: parties were forced to campaign sparingly. He had already spent his campaign budget for the first attempt in March. Most of the spring campaign posters were used a second time, this time with the date of the elections.
Vorarlberg Specialty
In total, a new municipal council was elected in 96 municipalities of Vorarlberg, and the mayor was also directly elected in 65 municipalities. However, in many municipalities, especially the smaller ones, the tension remained within bounds: often there was only a single list, usually a list of names or citizens with no party designation, and often there was only one candidate for office. of mayor. Voters could then reject it by voting no. “Majority elections” also take place in several municipalities, a specialty of Vorarlberg: there are no lists, but voters write suitable candidates on the ballot for them. Those mentioned most frequently are considered elected.
The election brought surprises, many mayors were eliminated or have to go to the second round, which takes place in two weeks. In Hörbranz, for example, mayor Karl Hehle (ÖVP) was eliminated in the first vote, in Lech, long-term mayor Ludwig Muxel received only 36.4 percent of the vote and has to go to the second round against Registrar Stefan Jochum (47 percent). And also in Hard, the leader of the state party SPÖ, Martin Staudinger, received more votes than the mayor of the ÖVP, Eva Maria Mair.
The result was eagerly awaited in Bludenz, where ÖVP Mayor Josef Katzenmayer no longer competed and the Popular Party sent 28-year-old Simon Tschann on the run. The SPÖ’s goal was to shoot with established councilman Mario Leiter Bludenz. The decision was postponed: Tschann and Leiter are face to face and have to go to the second round. The strongest force in the local council is the ÖVP, which grew significantly and reached 45 percent (SPÖ 39 percent).
There will also be a second round in Bregenz: the current mayor of the ÖVP, Markus Linhart, did not reach the first vote with 43 percent, the opponent in two weeks is the former leader of the state party SPÖ, Michael Ritsch, who achieved 34 percent. Even if Linhart wins, governing will be difficult: SPÖ, Greens and Neos could form a coalition in the local council.
The FPÖ has lost in several municipalities, but has achieved very significant success: in Hohenems, former party leader Dieter Egger again decided the mayoral election himself, and quite clearly, with 63 percent of the vote. The FPÖ is also the strongest party on the local council at 44 percent. The ÖVP, on the other hand, suffered a collapse, the old ruling party only has 20 percent there.
(“Die Presse”, print edition, 09/14/2020)
