Strong Salzburg blues

Salzburg’s blacks feel the cold breath of the FPÖ on their necks

Salzburg's Blue Party around Marlene Svazek and Volker Reifenberger celebrated the state's 14.3 percent gain at the Sternbräu.

(Bild: Tschepp Markus)

The Haslauer Pact brought the Blue Party into government in 2023. Today, the FPÖ is barely four percent behind the Blacks.Nevertheless, Governor Wilfried Haslauer speaks of a "decent result". David Egger (SPÖ), meanwhile, looks angrily in the other direction. Federal capital

The ÖVP can continue to rely on the greatest voter support in the federal state of Salzburg. With 31.7 percent, it remains number one. Even when looking through black political glasses, however, this fact remains the only positive news after yesterday's National Council elections. Compared to the historic 46.4% in 2019, the conservatives suffered a drop of 14.6% in the Salzburg electorate.

The red state party leader David Egger did not even try to make light of the marginal increase of 0.4 percent

(Bild: Gerhard Schiel)

Lungau, for example, has turned blue for the first time in its history. The cold breath of the Herbert-Kickl party, which has leapt to the top across Austria, can inevitably be felt on the back of the neck. And this only a year after Wilfried Haslauer made the blue party his junior partner in the provincial government after initially firmly rejecting it.

"It's a decent result for us and a good day for democracy thanks to the high voter turnout," said Haslauer, avoiding a negative assessment. The governor also pointed out that, in comparison with the traditional ÖVP strongholds of Tyrol, Vorarlberg, Lower Austria and Upper Austria, the state emerged as the strongest ÖVP state. Voter turnout was reasonable at 76 percent.

Haslauer's ÖVP party was concerned: the drop compared to 2019 was a hefty 14.6%.

(Bild: Tröster Andreas)

"No one wants a coalition of the failed"
The big election winner was both relaxed and delighted: "People want change and a People's Chancellor Kickl," stated Salzburg's FPÖ lead candidate Volker Reifenberger in the Sternbräu. Marlene Svazek was also pleased with the increase of 14.3 compared to 2019. The regional party leader spoke of a historic result and also wants to see her party in government at federal level: "The Austrians certainly don't want a coalition of the failed again."

The SPÖ also suffered a major setback. State party leader David Egger and his colleagues did record small gains. Nevertheless, 16.7 per cent is the second worst result in history for the Social Democrats: "We have been given a serious lesson," analyzed Egger, looking grumpily towards Vienna and SPÖ leader Babler. And confirmed once again that Salzburg's Reds are not among Babler's biggest friends.

While the Neos were at least pleased with a small increase and fourth place in both the federal and state elections, the Greens lost a third of their votes and fifth place.

Although the KPÖ achieved the best result in the state with just over three percent, it was unable to match its strong performance in the municipal elections.

A blue sting in the black heart, column by Philipp Grill

The 2019 National Council election: Sebastian Kurz has reached the pinnacle of his political career. With him, the People's Party was flying high across Austria. In Lungau and Pinzgau, more than 50 (!) percent voted turquoise. Five years later, the political map looks completely different. The ÖVP is the election loser, the FPÖ the great triumphant. Those who turned their backs on the blacks have now voted for the Freedom Party. Lungau is the best example: ÖVP down 17.2 and lost first place, FPÖ up 17.8 and thus the strongest force. A blue Lungau is a deep stab into the black heart.