The mayoral runoff elections on Palm Sunday in Salzburg became a red holiday: The SPÖ not only took back the state capital with the previous deputy mayor Bernhard Auinger, it also captured the mayor’s offices in previously deeply black communities. The final in the city of Mozart between Auinger and the communist Kay-Michael Dankl was surprisingly clear, the SPÖ man won with 62.5 percent of the votes (including postal votes).
Voter turnout today was 46.8 percent, compared to 54.3 percent in the first round of voting two weeks ago. Five years ago, turnout in the runoff election was even lower at 43.9 percent.
14 days ago, Auinger was just ahead with 29.4 percent compared to Dankl (28.0 percent). Today the result was clear, so that the two “finalists” stepped in front of the cameras and microphones towards the end of the counting to give their first statements. “I am certainly one of the happiest people in the city of Salzburg today,” said Auinger. “After the day I met my wife and the days when my two daughters were born, this is the most beautiful day of my life.”
“Extreme headwind”
It has not been easy to implement social democratic positions in Salzburg against “extreme headwinds” over the past seven years, said the previous deputy mayor. “But we have carried out tough city politics in social matters and in my areas (sports and culture; note). I am proud that the people of Salzburg have honored this work today and have placed their trust in me.” He definitely wants to be a mayor for all Salzburg residents. He is also convinced that he will work excellently with his opponent Kay-Michael Dankl.
KPÖ spoke of a good result
The KPÖ-Plus candidate spoke of a good result despite the defeat in the runoff election. “Five years ago we entered the 40-member city parliament with a single mandate. Two weeks ago we increased the number of our mandates tenfold and moved into the runoff election. This shows that many people want a different, more social policy.” It is understandable that established parties have become nervous.
Dankl congratulated Auinger on his success and emphasized that the work was just beginning. “As KPÖ Plus, we have set out to campaign for affordable housing for the next five years. You have to continually earn the trust of the voters – not just during elections, but also in the time in between. There is work to be done in the city “Enough. We will look for cooperation with other parties and see that we can make progress.”
SPÖ federal party leader Andreas Babler also traveled to the festival city to congratulate the new city leader with a tight hug. Today is a good day for the residents of a city with a red zip code again. He is confident that he will gain momentum for the National Council elections in September and is convinced that there will be a positive surprise there too.
Red again after five years
After five years dominated by the ÖVP, the city of Mozart is turning red again: the SPÖ (11) and KPÖ Plus (10) have a slim majority in the 40-member local council, and in the five-member city government, in addition to the new mayor Auinger, there are Dankl and ÖVP politician Florian Kreibich as his two deputies, plus a city councilor from the SPÖ and the green citizen list. In the future, the ÖVP will hold eight seats in the town hall, the Bürgerlist five, the FPÖ four, NEOS and Liste SALZ one each.
The constituent meeting with swearing in is scheduled for May 8th. By then, Auinger would like to reach a working agreement with the representatives of the other parties and determine the distribution of responsibilities.
There was a lot to celebrate for the SPÖ on Sunday in other communities as well: SPÖ state chairman David Egger, for example, prevailed in the runoff election in Neumarkt am Wallersee, replacing the previous ÖVP mayor Adi Rieger. The ÖVP was also dethroned in the Pongau district capital of St. Johann: the black long-term mayor and community association president Günther Mitterer was no longer running there, and SPÖ candidate Eveline Huber surprisingly prevailed in the second round of voting today. Detto in Puch near Hallein, where long-time mayor Helmut Klose was placed in front of the door of the town hall. Here too, Barbara Schweitl, the SPÖ candidate, received the key to the mayor’s office.
87 of Salzburg’s 119 municipalities will in future be governed by an ÖVP mayor, eleven fewer than last. In the future, the SPÖ will have 23 local leaders (plus 6), the FPÖ will have two (plus 1), and in seven municipalities there will be mayors from name or community lists. The quota of women has also increased today: there is now a woman in the mayor’s office in 14 municipalities, three more than before, the quota of female mayors is now 11.8 percent and therefore above the Austrian average of currently 10.5 percent.
