Luger remains in office

Linz mayor survives vote of confidence

Mayor Klaus Luger (SPÖ) remains.

(Bild: Markus Wenzel)

The mayor of Linz took the question of his political future into his own hands: in Lower Austria, the head of the Upper Austrian provincial capital put the SPÖ's executive committee to a vote of confidence. This was passed unanimously, so Luger remains mayor. 

The executive committee of the Linz SPÖ met for several hours: party chairman Klaus Luger and the party's executive committee invited guests to the Loisium spa and wellness hotel in Langenlois on Wednesday to discuss issues for the future. However, it turned out to be a debate about the political future of Mayor Klaus Luger. The SPÖ politician had publicly admitted to having interfered in the application process for the directorship of the Linz Brucknerhaus - as reported by the "Krone" newspaper.

ÖVP and other parliamentary groups wanted Luger to resign
Linz parties such as the ÖVP openly demanded the resignation of Luger, who has headed the city since 2013. Black Deputy Mayor Martin Hajart explains why: "Luger lied to the people of Linz for months and presented himself as the great enlightener in the Brucknerhaus affair who was not guilty of anything. But the exact opposite is the case, because it was he himself who sent Kerschbaum the questions for the hearing."

Criticism and calls for his resignation also came from the other parties in the Linz city parliament. In unison, they said: "Luger must now know what to do himself."

The party voted on its leader from 5 p.m.
The mayor took the question of his political future into his own hands on Wednesday. At the meeting in Lower Austria, which is being held under the title Summer Academy, he put the question of trust to the party. The meeting began at 2 p.m. in the fine seminar hotel, and people locked themselves in. "Luger is really very open and detailed with all questions," the "Krone" learned in the afternoon by text message from the meeting. 

This spa hotel in Langenlois was the venue for the vote on the future of the head of the city.

(Bild: Antal Imre)

Linz SPÖ stands united behind Mayor Klaus Luger
At 17.42, SPÖ district secretary Beate Gotthartsleitner confirmed that Luger would remain in office, with the party executive unanimously expressing its confidence in him. SPÖ parliamentary group leader Stefan Giegler says: "This result clearly shows that the leaders of the Linz SPÖ are united behind Mayor Klaus Luger. He has made a mistake, there is nothing to gloss over, but if you consider that Luger, as head of the city, solved major problems such as the SWAP, set new priorities for a climate-neutral industry, modernized the stadium infrastructure and concluded decades of open contracts such as those for the expansion of public transport, this approval is also an appreciation for an overall assessment of the mayor's commitment."