Ländle-VP wants to fight

Wallner: “We don’t want a situation like in Vienna”

Governor Markus Wallner swore his ÖVP to an intensive election campaign.

(Bild: VLK/Bernd Hofmeister)

Following the black debacle in the National Council elections, the Vorarlberg ÖVP led by Markus Wallner began an intensive 14-day election campaign in Dornbirn on Monday. They were combative.

"The sky is weeping, perhaps because of the election result," said ÖVP Managing Director Dietmar Wetz at the start of his party's press conference on Monday morning. Due to the weather, it was not held in front of St. Martin's Church in Dornbirn as planned, but in the premises of the parish.

The proximity to the church and a prayer or two from a Christian Socialist in the run-up to the regional elections could perhaps be quite helpful when canvassing for votes, as the ÖVP apparently does not see it as God-given that its top candidate, Governor Markus Wallner, will be at the top of the list on October 13: "There are two options: Instability with a light sailor at the head of our country or a clear government mandate with Markus Wallner as captain," Dietmar Wetz was extremely caustic.

Markus Wallner, whose party won 43.5% of the vote in the 2019 state elections, is seriously fearing for first place after the Freedom Party's victory in the National Council elections - even though the blue challenger Christof Bitschi is starting from 13.9%. On Monday, the head of the state campaigned several times for a clear government mandate: "It's about the question of who leads this country. We don't want political conditions like those in Vienna."