What a state election in Salzburg: ÖVP and FPÖ fought a neck-and-neck race for a long time. The FPÖ wants to rule now. The communists come in fourth place. The NEOS fly out of the state parliament (see video above).
ÖVP governor Wilfried Haslauer had only one thing below the pain threshold: “Not becoming number two in the country,” he revealed on election night. It doesn’t matter how big the loss of votes is at the end. And that hurt with a minus of 7.2 percentage points. “The losses were greater than expected. It hurts, but I achieved my goal,” Haslauer explains. This is how you can talk yourself into an election debacle.
The krone.at election sticker to read.
Dark red is the new political color of fashion
Haslauer cannot understand the voters’ accounts. Because the “country is going well”, there is still “uncertainty”. For the third time – after Tyrol and Lower Austria – the ÖVP has fallen to first place, but continues to hold the position of governor. But the election also shows that Chancellor Karl Nehammer’s main themes, asylum and green burners, cannot yet win the election.
The shooting stars are two, each serving the political fringe: the blue Marlene Svazek (30) and the communist Kay-Michael Dankl (34).
Historic result for FPÖ
The FPÖ climbed to second place and with 26.4 percent passed the 20 percent mark for the first time. A historic result. Svazek now wants to lead the FPÖ in the coalition. “The result shows that Salzburg wants a turnaround,” said Svazek Haslauer.
Photos Election Day:
Haslauer more flexible than Mikl-Leitner
However, the situation in Salzburg is different from Lower Austria. Haslauer is more flexible in his choice of coalition partner than Johanna Mikl-Leitner. In Lower Austria, three FPÖ county councilors were permanently in government due to the system of proportional representation. Haslauer can form a coalition with the SPÖ and the Greens and thus easily slow down the Blues despite electoral success. However, that would be a coalition of losers.
Will Svazek stay in Salzburg?
Svazek announced on election night that she would only stay in Salzburg if she became deputy governor. Failing that, she would also respond to a call to Vienna if FPÖ leader Herbert Kickl wanted to.
Dark red is the new political fashion color in Salzburg. The KPÖ Plus causes a sensation – with 11.3 percent it even reaches double digits. During the election campaign, people had already counted on entering the state parliament, but no one had expected this result.
SPÖ drops to third place
Especially not David Egger. The SPÖ top candidate – after all, the Reds have been governor of Salzburg for ten years – is responsible for the drop to third place and a minus of 2.1 percent. A historic low.
NEOS fly out of the state parliament
Government participation has not borne fruit for NEOS. You fly out of the state parliament with a result of just over four percent – you have to start all over again. The Greens were also presented with a statement.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
