After the Resignation of the Mayor in Neunkirchen: Will There Be a New Election Now?

ÖVP Mayor Osztovics announced her resignation last Monday after about a year in office due to health reasons. In the interim, Vice Mayor Marcus Berlosnig, who was expelled from the FPÖ, has taken over the official duties. The appointment of Kessler, who is not a member of the municipal council, led to criticism.

Political Turmoil in Neunkirchen: Potential Successor to Mayor Withdraws Candidacy

"My goal was to find a stable and constructive solution across party lines. But it quickly became clear that this non-partisan approach with new ideas is not desired," the entrepreneur and Neunkirchen Economic Association chairman shared in a Facebook post on Friday afternoon: "As soon as the first talks were held, it was not projects, not visions, not the concerns of the people of Neunkirchen that dominated - but positions, tactics, and party politics." Kessler's conclusion: "Nothing is happening here."

SPÖ Puts Forward Opposing Candidate - FPÖ Calls for New Election in Neunkirchen

SPÖ City Councilor Günther Kautz plans to run as an opposing candidate to the representative nominated by the ÖVP at the beginning of December. "It is more than overdue to bring Neunkirchen into calmer waters," he told APA. FPÖ representatives Wilhelm Haberbichler and Bernd Trenk described a new election as "the only way out." The ÖVP Neunkirchen and the entire coalition are "at the end," the two remaining blue municipal councilors stated in a release on Friday: "The voters must have their say to end this chaos." FPÖ district party chairman and state parliament member Jürgen Handler saw the state's supervisory authority as being called to action in a release - among other things, to question whether the city's accounts are correct. According to "NÖN," the SPÖ and Greens had brought up the idea of a new election at the beginning of the week. An election would need to be called if at least two-thirds of the municipal council mandates are not filled.

ÖVP Ahead of SPÖ and FPÖ in Neunkirchen Municipal Election

In the municipal election this year on January 26, the ÖVP won 13 of the 37 mandates, the SPÖ twelve, and the FPÖ nine. The Greens secured three seats. In October, controversial cuts for budget consolidation were approved by the ÖVP representatives and seven of the nine municipal councilors on the Freedom Party seats. The FPÖ state party had already announced before the meeting that all representatives who vote for the measures would be expelled from the party.

(APA/Red)

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