Vorarlberg reactions

Federal ÖVP delighted, Greens want to co-govern

"But the ball is now in Markus Wallner's court," says Green Party leader Sigrid Maurer.(Bild: APA/ROLAND SCHLAGER)

For the federal ÖVP, the result of the Vorarlberg state election is cause for celebration. General Secretary Christian Stocker and party leader Karl Nehammer congratulated Governor Markus Wallner on the "clear number 1 in Vorarlberg". Green Party leader Sigrid Maurer wants to see her party continue to co-govern in the state.

The result, a drop of just under five percentage points, was a "clear vote for Governor Markus Wallner and for the Vorarlberg way", said Stocker.

"Serious work" had paid off
At a time when political polarization is on the rise, the Vorarlberg People's Party has proven "that it can win and retain the trust of the middle of society through pragmatic politics", said the Black Secretary General.

"The unagitated and serious work" of the Vorarlberg ÖVP had paid off and Wallner would continue to "consistently pursue the Vorarlberg path", Stocker emphasized. Once again "a significantly better result than many had expected for the People's Party", said Chancellor Karl Nehammer. "Stability and honest political work for the people were appreciated", he wrote on X.

Over six percentage points is "a minus that hurts", said Maurer at the party headquarters in Vienna. However, it was "good for the country" that "a stable, reliable government with the Greens is possible".

"The ball is in Wallner's court"
As things stand, the ÖVP and the Greens have 19 seats, just over half of the 36 seats in the Vorarlberg state parliament. "But the ball is now in Markus Wallner's court. Will he go towards the future with the Greens or towards the past with the FPÖ?"

The reason for her party's poor result was that Wallner had called a duel with the FPÖ in the run-up to the election and the Greens had therefore lost many votes to the ÖVP. According to Maurer, these were all votes that did not want the FPÖ to join the government.