20 years of Tschürtz

A rollercoaster ride that is not over yet

In 2015, the Blue Party celebrated 15 percent in the Burgenland state elections.

(Bild: APA/ROBERT JAEGER)

Johann Tschürtz was the FPÖ's top candidate in Burgenland four times. Now he hands over to Norbert Hofer and looks back.

His first run in 2005 was not under a good star. Only a week earlier, the FPÖ had been kicked out of the Styrian state parliament due to the founding of the BZÖ. Nevertheless, Tschürtz managed to gain 5.8 percent in Burgenland and enter parliament with two seats. From then on, things went uphill. Under Tschürtz, the Burgenland Blue Party followed HC Strache's course. By 2010, they had already gained nine percent and a third mandate.

Steep rise and deep fall
However, the blue frontman reached his peak in 2015, when the FPÖ achieved an impressive 15 percent and formed a red-blue coalition with the SPÖ. As deputy governor, Tschürtz was responsible for security and the fire department. However, just five years later, things came crashing down. The Ibiza affair also took its toll on the Burgenland Freedom Party, which lost a third of its votes. The SPÖ, on the other hand, achieved a brilliant election victory that gave it an absolute majority.

Under Governor Hans Niessl, the FPÖ took a seat in government. Five years later, the SPÖ no longer needed a coalition partner.

(Bild: APA/ROBERT JAEGER)

15 years as party leader
It has been a "rollercoaster ride", says Tschürtz, looking back on the past 20 years - 15 of them as party leader. "It is difficult to judge what is right or wrong, too early or too late, too much or too little. These questions will probably never be answered correctly," says the veteran blue politician.

Right of way for Hofer
He will no longer be at the helm in the state elections in January, but Norbert Hofer will be. For him, this is the right decision: "With his conciliatory, helpful and engaging manner, Norbert Hofer is the man who wants to shape Burgenland not as a ruler, but as a captain of togetherness." However, Tschürtz's political career is far from over: he is in second place on the state list, just behind Hofer.