City Senate at odds

Political border crossings: difficult, interesting, aha

"Kärntner Krone" editor-in-chief Hannes Mößlacher on the events in the provincial capital.(Bild: Hannes Wallner)

Work is also being done in Klagenfurt town hall. But only at civil servant level, because the political "leadership" has been wasting its energy for years on a kind of permanent election campaign with no prospect of change or improvement. In the worst case scenario, this could go on for another three years.

Difficult, interesting, aha - these three words are recommended by the globally sought-after negotiation expert Matthias Schranner for communication in the border area. Schranner reports on his experiences in dealing with suicides or terrorists, but also suggests these words for hopefully more harmless conflicts - right up to marriage discussions. So why not also for Klagenfurt town hall?

Nothing has been going on there for months. Whereas in the past, or elsewhere, the good old political custom was that after a defeated election, a new constellation would get together within a few weeks and distribute tasks, and then, in the case of the six-year legislative period of a municipality, work together for five and a half years in the interests of the city and, above all, its citizens, only to then compete again for six months in a political showdown, this has been abandoned in the provincial capital.

Between banishment and head-shaking
There is nothing left but accusations, pontificating, reacting and even calling in the public prosecutor. Most recently in the area of housing, where there really does seem to be a lot of problems; previously in relation to a structural reform of departments into units; alongside a (depending on your point of view and developments, current or former) municipal director who, banned from the building, holds court outside and for whom no successor can be found. And and and.

The observer cannot stop shaking his head, a solution can hardly be expected before the planned new election date of 2027, even if Mayor Christian Scheider (Team Kärnten) calls for cooperation and Deputy Philip Liesnig (SPÖ) never tires of using the word "serious" for a "fresh start" in the city senate, while both aides accuse the opposing camps of lying, lethargy and overwork. 

It is then up to the political lightweight of the NEOS, Janos Juvan, to put forward the only coherent and sensible proposal of recent months, namely that of an accurate social "housing bonus"; probably without any prospect of success, as he is not represented in the divided city senate. 

Perhaps Matthias Schranner should be hired instead of many lawyers in the town hall. "Difficult, interesting, aha".