“Red Sunday” in the Ländle – ÖVP experienced disaster – Vorarlberg municipal council elections –

Former SPÖ party leader Michael Ritsch (52) prevailed in his fourth appearance in the state capital, Bregenz, and pushed Mayor Markus Linhart (60, ÖVP) from his chair.

Current SPÖ boss Martin Staudinger made “Red Sunday” perfect with his success at Hard on Lake Constance. In Lochau, on Lake Constance, is Frank Matt (57), the first green mayor of Vorarlberg.

In both Bregenz and Hard, the votes of green voters have likely made a difference. In Bregenz, Ritsch won nearly 900 votes behind Mayor Linhart (since 1997), although Linhart had promised in a letter to citizens that the black-green coalition would continue if it was successful. On Hard, Staudinger extended his small lead from the first vote to a landslide victory.

Both Ritsch and Staudinger were “overwhelmed” in their opening statements. For the SPÖ, Staudinger’s electoral victory means that they have to search for a new party leader. The 41-year-old, just two years at the top of the game, will focus on the mayor’s office as announced. On Sunday he could not say whether he will remain a simple member of the state parliament. For his part, Ritsch has already made it clear that he will leave the state parliament.

In Bludenz, SPÖ candidate Mario Leiter nearly turned the “double” into a “triple hit” but ultimately fell 222 votes behind ÖVP newcomer Simon Tschann. Tschann, 28, is currently the youngest mayor of Vorarlberg.

As it became known Sunday afternoon, there should have been irregularities in the second round of the elections in Bludenz.

ÖVP Mayor Wolfgang Matt in Feldkirch was not taking any chances, a little consolation for the People’s Party.

Apart from Feldkirch and Bludenz, Dornbirn is the only city left with an ÖVP director (Andrea Kaufmann). Five years ago Hohenems was “lost” to the FPÖ (Dieter Egger).

In Lochau, on Lake Constance, ophthalmologist Frank Matt scored almost seven percentage points behind Mayor Michael Simma (ÖVP) in the first vote. Matt, who entered politics ten years ago, was crowned the first mayor of the Greens in Vorarlberg.

And also in Lech am Arlberg the signs pointed to a change: there Stefan Jochum replaced the long-time mayor Ludwig Muxel (since 1993). Muxel was able to make up for part of his deficit compared to Jochum from the first vote, but he ultimately stayed more than six percentage points behind Jochum.