Policy change in the Carinthian state parliament: New faces, old values!

Policy change in the Carinthian state parliament: New faces, old values!

On October 23, 2025, there will be significant personnel changes in the Carinthian state parliament, as Reinhart Rohr will announce his resignation as state parliament president and the resignation of his mandate after a decades-long political career in various functions, including Federal Council and State Council. His colleagues praise Holz as a politician of balance who always sought dialogue. The state councilor Daniel Fellner and the SPÖ club chairman Herwig Seiser particularly emphasize Rohr's respectful, balancing and solution-oriented way of working, which he has established over the years in order to find political solutions.

With Rohr's resignation, new faces are now at the center of the political decision-making processes in Carinthia. Peter Reichmann is accepted into the Carinthian state government as the new state councilor. Fellner emphasizes Reichmann's problem-solving skills, technical expertise and friendly nature, which will be of great importance in the new role.

New executive board takes responsibility

There are also changes in the Presidium of the Carinthian State Parliament. Manuel Müller becomes the new member of the state parliament. Seiser describes Müller as deeply rooted in the Villach Land district, with valuable experience in local politics. In addition, Andreas Scherwitzl is elected as the new first President of the State Parliament. Scherwitzl speaks of the responsibility that comes with this office and emphasizes the importance of a functioning democratic process.

In addition, Marika Lagger-Pöllinger is the new 3rd President of the State Parliament. It focuses on the visibility and equality of women in politics and thus signals an important shift towards more diversity in the political landscape.

Outlook for the coming year

In the context of these changes, the Carinthian state parliament also successfully completed the first full year after the state elections in 2023. In 2024, a total of 11 state parliament sessions and 124 committee meetings were held, in which 203 resolutions were passed. During the plenary discussions, there were 828 requests to speak from MPs, and 29 laws, including the unanimously approved Carinthian housing benefit NEW, were passed.

Public interest in the activities of the state parliament is high, as confirmed by the 30,000 hits on the live stream of the meetings. In order to take the feedback from the opposition into account, adjustments to the rules of procedure are planned for next year.

A new democracy education project entitled “Gateway to Democracy” is also expected for 2025, which is being developed in cooperation with the Carinthia Museum and is scheduled to start in February. The project is intended to underline the importance of democracy for social cohesion, as Reinhart Rohr notes. He describes the project as exciting and important for political education in the region.

Overall, the Carinthian state parliament is facing a year full of changes and challenges, which brings with it both new faces and innovative projects.

Visit Klick Kärnten for further information on current developments, My District for detailed reporting on the new presidium members and OTS for an outlook on the associated projects.