Unofficial politics

Roland “Biden” Frühstück wants to know it again

At the age of 67, Roland Frühstück (ÖVP) from Bregenz wants to challenge the red mayor Ritsch in spring 2025.

No more problems with staff in the town hall. The new train station is on track. In addition, the ÖVP, which had briefly allied itself with the Greens against SPÖ mayor Michael Ritsch on the issue of extending parking fees, has rowed back completely. So everything is currently going according to plan for the mayor of Bregenz. Even the fact that the Bregenz ÖVP seems to be slowly awakening from its slumber after the crushing election defeat of its long-term mayor Markus Linhart does not worry Ritsch at all.

A good three years after the election defeat, the Black Party elected Roland Frühstück as city party leader. Since Tuesday, it has also been officially known what the sparrows have long been whistling from Bregenz's Martinsturm: 66-year-old Roland "Biden" Frühstück wants to give it another go and will challenge the incumbent mayor next spring - then aged 67.

Amusing encounter
Frühstück was recently jokingly asked by Ritsch whether he really wanted to do it again at his age. When the VP grandee did not deny the rumors about his candidacy, the self-confident red head of the city predicted that the black man would lose four elections in a row. Because the ÖVP will lose a lot of ground in the EU, National Council, regional and municipal elections, said Ritsch. The banter between the two ended in a bet: if the ÖVP loses less than ten percent in the regional elections in the fall, the couple will be invited to Ritsch's house for breakfast. If the defeat is higher, the Frühstücks will cook for Mr. and Mrs. Ritsch. It is not known how enthusiastic the two women are.

Thanks to Frühstück's candidacy, the Bregenz election campaign should be entertaining in any case. Ritsch and Frühstück are two rivals who have very different opinions in many political areas. But the two have one thing in common - a fighting spirit and the conviction to achieve the impossible.

Frühstück has turned many a game around in his active handball days and recently showed with his young women's team that supposedly stronger opponents can be defeated.

Ritsch, on the other hand, famously lost out to former mayor Linhart three times and also suffered two major defeats as the SPÖ's leading candidate in the 2009 and 2014 regional elections. He finally won the mayor's seat on his fourth attempt. Of course, he doesn't want to give it up so quickly. "I don't underestimate Roland," the 55-year-old Social Democrat let it be known.