In the roll-call vote at the end of the debate, eleven MPs voted yes and voted no confidence in Wallner. These were the MPs from the opposition parties FPÖ, SPÖ and NEOS. 25 voted no, i.e. against the application and thus in favor of Wallner. These were the 17 MPs from the ÖVP, the seven MPs from the Greens and the non-party Thomas Hopfner.
Hammerer had previously announced the Greens’ decision not to vote against Wallner, i.e. not to support the motion of no confidence. That’s what Hammerer said in her speech at the state parliament session – the speech everyone had been waiting for. But even if the Greens had voted in favor of the motion of no confidence, a decision would not have been clear, and the non-party MP Thomas Hopfner might have tipped the scales.
Greens do not want a new election
In any case, Hammerer said that the Greens did not take the decision lightly, but wanted to ensure stability. “The integrity of the office is in question, our trust has been shaken.” But as the governing party, the most important thing is to clarify what happened. A construct is gradually emerging that has held politics and business firmly in hand for decades. “Which politicians are involved, We don’t know. But it’s about more than Markus Wallner.” The judiciary is on the legal processing. And politics started with the special state parliament. You don’t get complete clarification if you exchange a head. “And it has to be clear be: If we vote in favor of the motion of no confidence, there will be new elections.”
But the Greens didn’t want that. Then a committee of inquiry would have been a long way off. But there needs to be an underground committee in the country. “I have complete confidence in this state parliament.” This is also about to pass the important party funding law, which should prevent such cases in the future. The responsibility for the crisis lies solely with the ÖVP, not with the Greens, Hammerer continued. It is the task of the Greens to provide clarification. And Wallner now has two options: “Either he stays in the hot seat and has to answer questions about everything that comes next. Or he resigns.” But Hammerer made it clear: “We Greens have decided not to approve the motion of no confidence.”
Wallner: All e-mails can be accessed
Governor Wallner again rejected the allegations against him in the state parliament. Not everything, but the trigger of the motion of no confidence he wanted to comment again. “I have been told I am facing personal corruption charges. I again reject the personal allegations.” It is said that “there was an incident of corruption at an anonymous place, at an unknown time in 2018, at an unknown company”.
The economic and corruption prosecutor’s office only relies on media reports. But that is the decision of the authority, with which he will cooperate closely: “I’m at least as interested in clarification as you are,” he said to the state parliament. And to the public prosecutor’s office: “The WKStA can have all my calendar data from the last ten years. All my e-mails from the last few years too. They are all there and available to anyone who needs them. If the authorities are interested: The door is open. You will find no connection to these allegations.”
“I will continue my task without reservation”
Wallner complained about a “brutal climate of prejudice” that prevailed. He did not want to withdraw to legal issues. “It’s also about how far something is morally justifiable.” That’s why he made it clear from the start that the processes in the ÖVP-Wirtschaftsbund will be processed and stopped.
It is not at all easy to intervene in a body like the Economic Association from the outside. But he had caused the newspaper to be discontinued. “And I welcomed it when those responsible first took action.” But: “The misconduct of individuals does not represent the economic association.”
Wallner located on the “inner-Austrian level” how with “great desire somehow people hit Vorarlberg”. And he continued: “If our federal state is presented in this form, then I have to say: the country doesn’t deserve it. We don’t have to let anyone from outside, not even from Vienna, tell us how things are in this country and what standards apply.” An entire federal state is being dragged through the mud. But he hasn’t lost his passion for office. “I will continue my task unreservedly. You will not take away my joy, even with anonymous accusations.”
Zadra: Acted to the best of my knowledge and belief
After Wallner, state councilor Daniel Zadra (Greens) spoke up, who had reported a device exchange by the state governor with a request for data deletion to the authorities, as he confirmed again in the state parliament. He tried to “act to the best of his knowledge and belief,” said Zadra. He acted for the country and for his employees.
He was informed of “unusual occurrences” on May 5 and asked that these occurrences be recorded. On the same day he was then informed about the examination of an initial suspicion by the WKStA. After consulting lawyers, he decided to inform the authorities – “no more and no less”, also to protect his employees.
“I wanted to make sure that it was impossible for anyone to get into trouble and tried to make the best of it to the best of my knowledge and belief.” He had no knowledge of whether data had been deleted. Wallner emphasized on Tuesday that no data had been deleted. The device replacement was a routine process that had been planned for a long time.
Bitschi (FPÖ): “Facts are on the table”
At the beginning of the meeting, it was reserved for FPÖ leader Christof Bitschi to be the first to step behind the lectern. He listed what has been known about the ÖVP business association since the outbreak of the affair, and ended with “accusations of corruption” that the governor was confronted with. According to Bitschi, Wallner personally applied for advertisements. He was referring to an anonymous accusation from a manager. Wallner clearly rejected these allegations several times and called them lies.
“The facts are on the table, and yet the motion of no confidence is needed. It’s crazy that we even have to vote on the motion of no confidence,” Bitschi continued. The FPÖ leader appealed to Wallner to resign before the motion of no confidence. And he appealed to the Greens to approve the motion of no confidence: “The speeches in the special state parliament were open and honest. But in the end, they have to cover up the machinations to keep the coalition from exploding. That is why I appeal very strongly to the Greens to follow their conscience today.”
Breakfast (ÖVP): “Low point in state politics”
The first defense speech followed with ÖVP club chairman Roland Breakfast. “The fact that an anonymous report leads to a motion of no confidence is a low point in state politics,” said Frühstück: firstly because a medium – the “Vorarlberger Nachrichten” – published this letter, secondly because the opposition used it to justify the motion of no confidence against a state governor , who has been working flawlessly for the country for over ten years.
“The opposition now senses the dawn. Some want to settle old scores,” Breakfast continued. He doesn’t want to downplay the fact that the public prosecutor’s office for economic affairs and corruption established the initial suspicion against Wallner. But: Anyone who knows the process can estimate it correctly. It cannot be that a state governor has to resign due to an anonymous accusation – at a time when there are only investigations, but by no means a judgment.
Breakfast also addressed the latest allegations against Wallner regarding the device replacement. Breakfast confirmed in the state parliament that it was a routine process. The optics and the timing are unfortunate. “But that too is a storm in a teacup.”
Breakfast appealed to the Greens not to jeopardize the coalition. “She has done a lot of good for the country and there is no alternative.” And – perhaps as a motivation for the Greens – Frühstück concluded his speech with a quote from the Green politician Rudolf Anschober, in which he called for a new political culture for the country.
Auer (SPÖ) calls for new elections: “Markus, it’s over”
Manuela Auer, deputy club chairwoman of the SPÖ, was the third speaker: Anyone who still has doubts about the motion of no confidence must be sure after the breakfast speech at the latest. “It’s not about an anonymous ad. It’s about a system,” said Auer. Clarification is sorely needed. “It’s not enough if two people go to the business association. The governor is required.”
She also listed everything that is known so far. The damage has been done, according to Auer, who also spoke about Wallner’s mobile phone exchange and the accusation that Wallner wanted to have the data deleted. “Is that true, Herr Landeshauptmann?” And then she brought up the first new elections: “We need a clean cut. We cannot avoid new elections.” She also appealed to the Greens to reconsider how they behave when voting. And turned to Wallner: “Mr. Governor, Markus, it’s over.”
Scheffknecht (NEOS): It needs a restart
Sabine Scheffknecht (NEOS) also spoke of a system. The club chairwoman accused Wallner of not making a word of admission and no sign of clarification. “The system is finished,” said Scheffknecht, who called for more humanity in politics. The NEOS boss addressed Monika Vonier, Vice President of the State Parliament: “You said last time: We as the opposition would mix everything together that doesn’t belong together. It’s a toxic mixture. But you don’t even notice that the ingredients for this mixture come from the ÖVP.”
Mistakes happened, there was no question about that, Scheffknecht continued. “But what we criticize is the way these errors are handled.” And she turned again to the question of the system: “Do you trust someone at the top of the system who is not willing to provide clarification? Or not anymore?” It needs a restart. “The question is: How is it possible?” Probably not without an exchange of those responsible, says Scheffknecht. And she also turned to the Greens: “At the moment you are making sure that this old system remains stable. You can decide today whether you stand by your values.” And: “We can all decide today how to proceed.”
1992: Motion of no confidence against Purtscher
After Purtscher, Wallner is the second governor of Vorarlberg to face a motion of no confidence. In 1992, 30 years ago, the application against Purtscher was rejected by the ÖVP and the FPÖ.
The worst case for Wallner would have been that he would have had to clear his desk as governor today. That would have been the case if the motion of no confidence had been accepted, i.e. had received at least 19 out of 36 votes. In this case, the rule of representation would have been applied, that is, governor Barbara Schöbi-Fink (ÖVP) would have become the first governor of Vorarlberg.