Karl Mahrer leaves the Vienna State Parliament

The former chairman of the Vienna ÖVP, Karl Mahrer, is leaving the municipal council or state parliament. The 70-year-old is resigning his mandate as of today, Monday. He announced this via a press release. The timing, he emphasized, was deliberately chosen - as he entered politics eight years ago on November 9. As party leader, the former police officer and member of the National Council had already stepped down after the Vienna election in the spring.

Losses for Vienna ÖVP

He had withdrawn from the position after the debacle for the ÖVP, which had again fallen below the 10 percent mark in the early election. From the 20.4 percent in 2020, the People's Party lost 10.8 percentage points, which was the largest turquoise loss in the capital ever. His successor as state chairman was the district head of the inner city, Markus Figl.

Mahrer is also facing charges. In the Wienwert case, he and his wife are accused of contributing to breach of trust. During the election campaign, he consistently denied the allegations. He stated he had a "good and clear conscience." The indictment became final in September.

Mahrer: "Learned a lot"

"Thanks to the trust of many people, I was able to take on responsibility - as a security spokesperson in the National Council, as chairman of the Interior Committee, later as Vienna City Councilor and state party chairman of the People's Party. I have learned a lot during this time, been able to shape things, and experienced many encounters that have left a lasting impression on me," he stated today. The resignation is now taking place in a phase of "reorientation." He leaves with gratitude.

There was also gratitude at the farewell from state party chairman Figl and club chairman Harald Zierfuß. "Karl Mahrer led the Vienna People's Party with great commitment," they praised the former party leader. He had taken on responsibility in challenging times. Mahrer succeeded Gernot Blümel in 2021 when the latter unexpectedly withdrew from the party leadership.

(APA/Red)

This article has been automatically translated, read the original article here.