Vorarlberg in election fever: Mayor race promises excitement
Vorarlberg in election fever: Mayor race promises excitement
In the western state of Vorarlberg, the preparations for the upcoming community and mayoral elections are in full swing. These elections are scheduled for March 16, 2024 and are eagerly awaited, especially since the political landscape is shaped by the recent successes of the Freedom Party (FPÖ) and the dominant position of the ÖVP, the People's Party.
The FPÖ has positioned itself heavily in the past few months and hopes to benefit from its nationwide wave of success. State managing director Dominik Hagen is optimistic and believes that the freedoms can increase both their municipal seats and the number of candidates in the upcoming elections. "We take this tailwind safely," says Hagen and refers to the positive results in Styria.
changes in the mayor's office
In several Vorarlberg communities, including Lustenau and Dornbirn, there are significant changes at the top. In Lustenau, Kurt Fischer will no longer compete from the ÖVP after taking over the key position from the FPÖ 14 years ago. In Dornbirn, Andrea Kaufmann, an important political figure of the ÖVP, has also announced that it would end her term. This opens up new parties to expand their influence in these important cities.
The current mayoral elections are also affected by a significant generation change. The People's Party, which in the past has had the lead in many communities, now sees itself on the defensive and must now make sure that it can defend its positions.
Wolfgang Matt from the ÖVP has already prepared the stage for a successor in Feldkirch. The ÖVP faces the challenge of achieving stronger results in the Bodensee and where it has recently lost voices to the Greens. In Höchst and Lochau, the Greens have already taken the lead, which is an alarming development for the People's Party.
SPÖ and Greens in upheaval
On the other hand, the SPÖ, represented by its new state chairman Mario Leiter, also sees itself with challenges. Among the previous candidates for mayor, he narrowly lost in his hometown Bludenz. Nevertheless, he wants to keep the list of candidates open and checks who the party is with the election campaign.
The Greens, who suffered remarkable losses in the last parliamentary term, hope to score in certain communities, especially in urban areas, despite the general background. Party leader Daniel Zadra believes that local issues will be decisive in the elections and plans to defend the existing mayors.
The upcoming elections promise to become an exciting race in which political skills could be reorganized. The different strategies of the parties and the uncertainty in voters make the Vorarlberg local elections a decisive test for everyone involved, while the voters submit their vote and decide on the future of their communities.
The right rate in Austria, especially in the results of the last elections, does not leave an easy heritage, and all parties have to make an effort to meet the requirements of the voters. The outcome of these elections could have far -reaching consequences for the political landscape in Vorarlberg.