Wahlchaos in Zwettl: ÖVP loses - who are the new winners?

Wahlchaos in Zwettl: ÖVP loses - who are the new winners?

In the recent elections in the Zwettl district, there were striking changes in the political landscape. The Lower Austria Bauernbund celebrated a victory at the Chamber of Agriculture last Sunday with 83.45 percent, although this corresponds to a slight loss of votes of 1.33 percentage points compared to 2020. In the case of this election, 12,020 people were entitled to vote, with the turnout was 44.55 percent. Of the 5,355 votes cast, 98 were invalid, as Noen reported .

municipal council election with dramatic twists

The municipal council election 2025, however, revealed a significantly different picture. While the ÖVP in the municipality of Zwettl under Mayor Franz Mold had to suffer a dramatic setback and fell from 73.7 to only 48.09 percent of the votes, the new list Zwettl us under Alexander Leutgeb appeared as a major winner that came to 27.94 percent of the vote. This choice means a loss of 25.61 percentage points for the People's Party, which has now lost eleven mandates and has given up its absolute majority in the municipal council, reports .

The late celebration in the Zwettl list shows the euphoria of the election triumph, while Mold had to give his defeat: "I expected losses, but not in this dimension." The SPÖ and the Greens had to accept severe losses in many municipalities, while the FPÖ in Zwettl gained in relevance after a growth of votes from 3.62 percent to 10.74 percent. Neos was able to move into the local council and is now putting a mandatar. The choice shows how suddenly the balance of power in the region can shift.