After the lying affair

Hörzing replaces Luger as mayor of Linz

Following Klaus Luger's resignation, Karin Hörzing has taken over the office of Mayor of Linz on an interim basis as of today.

(Bild: "Krone", Dostal)

While others strive for a lifetime in politics, Karin Hörzing's mayoral office falls into her lap completely unplanned. Following Klaus Luger's resignation due to the Brucknerhaus lies affair, the former deputy mayor is the new head of the city as of today. She can decide for herself for how long.

Karin Hörzing turns 61 tomorrow. Whether she feels like celebrating today is doubtful. After all, the Social Democrat did not seek the office of mayor in Linz. Her election as the first female head of the provincial capital has an inglorious history, for which she is not responsible: After eleven years in office, SPÖ city leader Klaus Luger stumbled across leaked chats in the LIVA case a week and a half ago.

Incriminating chats
As reported, Luger had sent hearing documents to the now dismissed Brucknerhaus director Dietmar Kerschbaum before his appointment - and tried to cover this up until the incriminating chats became public.

Election before or after Christmas
Hörzing must now continue to run the office - until a new successor is elected and moves into the town hall. It is not yet clear when that will be. The ÖVP, FPÖ, Greens and Neos had recently spoken out in favor of December 8 as the election date. However, SPÖ mayoral candidate Dietmar Prammer prefers a later ballot - after Christmas.

Waiting for Hörzing's decision
However, the decision on when to vote lies with Karin Hörzing. However, she has not yet commented on this. She only wants to deal with it this week, she recently announced in a press release.

My era as mayor is not ending as I would have wished. I am solely responsible for this due to a mistake I made.

Klaus Luger (SPÖ), Linzer Ex-Bürgermeister

Meanwhile, Luger said goodbye to the "dear people of Linz" once again in a video message on Sunday. His era as mayor will not end "as I would have wished", he admitted. However, he himself was "without exception" responsible for this - "due to a mistake I made".

He was convinced that things would continue to go well in Linz and was optimistic about the future. Luger's last official words as mayor: "Finally, thank you once again for your loyalty, for your support - all the best!"