Johanna Jachs (ÖVP)

Mühlviertel MP expects to make a comeback

This is how our cartoonist Milan A. Ilic sees ÖVP politician Johanna Jachs when she prances around parliament in Vienna with her smartphone and takes selfies.

(Bild: Ilic Milan A./Milan A. Ilic)

Her party's losses in the National Council elections on September 29 meant the end for a young and committed woman from the ÖVP - but only for the time being. She already expects to be back in the House soon. 

In the end, the party decided against a fixed place for her: Johanna Jachs, currently a member of the National Council out of office, was placed in a shaky position by her party before the election on September 29. The daughter of the late mayor of Freistadt, Christian Jachs, was placed 6th on the provincial list and 3rd on the even more important regional list for the Mühlviertel.

More than 5000 preferential votes were not enough
Normally, parties do something like this to double-secure an entry. In Jach's case, however, this was not successful. Despite more than 5000 preferential votes, the ÖVP's result was not enough - Jachs lost her seat in the House. State Secretary Claudia Plakolm was ranked ahead of her on the provincial list and the Mayor of Altenberg, Michael "Mike" Hammer, came second. It worked out well for both of them.

Hard-working "influencer" on her own behalf
However, the 33-year-old mother of two is probably not in such a bad mood as far as her personal political future (in Vienna) is concerned. In the ÖVP club, she is regarded as a very hard-working "influencer" on her own behalf and always gives a glimpse behind the scenes - including selfies, which also inspired our cartoonist Milan A. Ilic.

And so it was that Jachs took a very cautious exit from her position and immediately announced her "comeback". In her social media profile, she writes (translated from English): "It's not a 'goodbye', it's a 'see you later'." What does she mean?

Johanna Jachs could take Plakolm's place
One thing is clear: Jachs is likely to assume that her party will be part of the future federal government and that her colleague Claudia Plakolm will take her place on the ministerial bench. This would leave the seat of the State Secretary from Walding vacant. Jachs would take her place and would be back where she has been since 2017 - in parliament.