"Stun grenade" to blame?

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In Vorarlberg, too, the SPÖ cannot use the current issue situation to its advantage.

(Bild: APA/JOCHEN HOFER)

Despite weakening governing parties, the SPÖ is hardly making any headway in Vorarlberg either - and is only hovering in the spheres of the minor parties there. The main reason for the weak result this time is a "stun grenade" from the ÖVP, according to reports. 

The SPÖ fell short of its own expectations in the Vorarlberg state elections. Mario Leiter, the SPÖ's top candidate, saw the reason for this in the state governor duel called by ÖVP top candidate Markus Wallner. This had triggered streams of voters "that did not do the SPÖ any good". Neither Leiter nor other leading SPÖ figures were expecting a personnel debate.

Failed to pick up Green voters
Until two weeks ago, the SPÖ had been stable in the polls at between twelve and 14 percent, then the ÖVP threw the "stun grenade", said Leiter in an initial reaction. Apparently, the ÖVP had scored points with the duel between black and blue, which had never existed given the result. "The Green voters did not migrate to us, they migrated to the ÖVP," said Leiter. They wanted to prevent a blue governor. They would have had the right issues for them.

No shaking of Babler
"The result is now what it is," he said pragmatically. Two weeks after the National Council elections, which also did not go according to plan for the SPÖ, Leiter wanted to assess his election result from a national perspective, but "the situation in Vienna certainly didn't help us". Leiter did not want to shake the SPÖ leader Andreas Babler.

He continues to believe that people need to be taken on board with the issues. This will be discussed over the next few weeks, he said, adding that the topic of migration in particular was "not properly addressed. In Vorarlberg, on the other hand, this had been clearly identified, said the police officer. Leiter also hoped to be able to retain the fourth mandate. Then, from the opposition, they would make sure "that the state government and the state governor do their job properly". With Reinhold Einwallner and Manuela Auer, they have a professional team for this.

Not getting through with issues
Former member of the National Council Reinhold Einwallner had expected a better result for the SPÖ on his return to Vorarlberg. In an initial reaction, he said that the governor's strategy of calling a duel with the FPÖ had worked. They had not been able to get away with any issues in the past few days. At the same time, however, it was also necessary to analyze internally what had gone well and less well.

Einwallner does not expect a leadership debate despite the looming minus: "I don't see any reason for that." He himself wants to take his experience from the National Council with persistent control from the opposition into the state parliament, of which he was previously a member.