Stab in Vorarlberg: Is political change in Dornbirn threatened?

Stab in Vorarlberg: Is political change in Dornbirn threatened?

The upcoming stab elections in seven Vorarlberg communities raise questions about political change in the region. On March 28, 2025, political scientist Markus Rhomberg discussed the central themes of these elections and the importance of election recommendations for the voter decision as part of the "Vorarlberg Live" platform. One of the central questions was to what extent such recommendations actually influence the voter behavior.

Rhomberg emphasized that election recommendations are usually rarely the decisive influence on voters. However, the influence becomes particularly great when the political positions of the candidates are close together or if voters want to prevent a certain candidate. Rather, according to Rhomberg, it is crucial to concentrate on topics that also address potential voters from other parties.

strategic reluctance and surprises

A prominent example of strategic reluctance can be found in the behavior of the FPÖ candidate Christoph Weibel in Dornbirn. It is cautious so as not to endanger possible coalition options. The city of Dornbirn, traditionally a "black city" with a dominant ÖVP presence, could be faced with a surprise. The upcoming stitch elections provide a duel between the SPÖ and ÖVP candidates, which raises the question of whether Dornbirn could choose a SPÖ mayor for the first time, since there is no official bonus for the current mayor.

The discussion about the stab vote also goes beyond the local events and reflects larger trends in the election behavior. A dwindling identification with parties and the entideologization of the people's parties is seen as a way to influence the turnout and democratic transparency.

theoretical foundations of the election behavior

In the context of the election behavior theories, examined in a current research work, an “integrated model of the election behavior” is presented. This model describes the voters' opinion and decision-making process. A central result of research is that cultural predispositions, such as social values and ideological attitudes, are decisive factors in election behavior.

In Austria, for example, the socio-cultural interpretation of the political terms “left” and “right” plays a different role compared to other countries, such as West Germany. While there are rather socio-cultural aspects there, social economic factors in Austria and East Germany have a greater impact on the electorate.