FPÖ only in 4th place

SPÖ in 1st place: Graz voted differently once again

The result in Graz once again danced out of line

(Bild: Christoph Hartner)

A look at the detailed results of the EU election shows: The FPÖ is clearing up in the rural regions. But in Graz, the blue party only came 4th! The SPÖ is in the lead here. The provincial capital surprises everyone once again. 

A blue arc runs through Styria. It stretches from Liezen, Murtal and Leoben via Graz-Umgebung and Voitsberg to Deutschlandsberg and Leibnitz. In all of these districts, the FPÖ won the most votes in the elections to the European Parliament. The Freedom Party is strongest in the district of Leibnitz with 35.2 percent! 

At district level, the ÖVP was able to hold on to its strongholds in Murau, Weiz, Südoststeiermark and Hartberg-Fürstenfeld (with a top score of 38.2 percent - this is the home region of top candidate Reinhold Lopatka). In Bruck-Mürzzuschlag, the SPÖ is holding its own with 30.7 percent.

So far, so expected. But then there is Graz. And the provincial capital has always been regarded as the most unpredictable political hotbed in the country. This time too. The SPÖ, whose city party has been in a desolate state for years, won the most votes with 20.9 percent, followed by the Greens with 19.1 percent and the ÖVP with 18.4 percent. The FPÖ is only in 4th place (17.3 percent). The Neos are doing well with 14.6 percent, as is the KPÖ with 6.8 percent. The state capital will probably also be the deciding factor in the state parliamentary elections in the fall.

The ÖVP's rural strongholds
The ÖVP achieved a result of more than 50 percent of the vote in five municipalities: Schäffern, Wenigzell (the frontrunner with 53.2 percent), Pusterwald, Klöch and Gasen. However, even in the traditional ÖVP strongholds, there are often losses in the double-digit percentage range. Incidentally, the absolute minus result for the ÖVP was achieved in Vordernberg with just 7.8 percent! Things were not much better in Rosental an der Kainach: 10.9 percent.

SPÖ with more than 50 percent in Vordernberg
The results for the SPÖ are, of course, completely the opposite: the best result - as in almost every election - is in Vordernberg with 52.5 percent. Landl, Wildalpen and Selzthal also exceeded the 40 percent mark. Cities such as Eisenerz, Kapfenberg and Mürzzuschlag deliver consistently good results.

In some rural communities, however, the SPÖ did not even manage a double-digit result. Low points are Schäffern with 5.8 percent, Großsteinbach (6.7 percent) and Hartberg-Umgebung (7.1 percent).

FPÖ is number 1 in Leoben
The big winner of the election, the FPÖ, achieved some remarkable results: in Leoben, the second largest city in Styria, the Freedom Party was clearly number 1 with 33.3 percent. There were also victories in other important cities such as Bärnbach, Köflach, Voitsberg, Deutschlandsberg, Leibnitz, Knittelfeld, Judenburg and Liezen! In Kapfenberg, too, the 30 percent hurdle was surpassed.

The absolute blue stronghold, however, is Sinabelkirchen with a 45.1 percent share of the vote! Incidentally, this is a municipality that had one of the lowest vaccination rates during the Corona period. The municipalities along the South Styrian Wine Route also delivered very strong FPÖ results. 

Where Greens and Pinks are strong
The Greens and Neos are often in lockstep and are strong in the same municipalities. In addition to Graz, they owe their results above all to municipalities (south) east of the provincial capital, such as Hart, Kainbach, Kumberg (19.3 percent for the Greens as the top result), Stattegg and St. Radegund. 

Lannach, St. Lorenzen im Mürztal, Hartberg, Großwilfersdorf and several municipalities in the district of Weiz (including the district capital and Gleisdorf) also achieved double-digit Green results. In addition to Graz-Umgebung, Neos also scored well in Ausseerland, Ramsau, Schladming and Bad Radkersburg with results above 10 percent. The top result is Stattegg with 19.0 percent.