Seven answers

What happens after the Styrian state elections

Soon, 48 new (and old) members of parliament will take their seats in the state parliament chamber.

(Bild: Jauschowetz Christian)

The Styrian provincial elections are over - but the political times remain exciting, and the next ballot is just four months away. Here are the most important facts and deadlines for the coming weeks. 

Even if the election campaign liked to give the wrong impression: it was not the members of the new Styrian state government who were elected on Sunday, but 48 members of the Styrian state parliament.

Vier Wochen Frist

Wann findet die konstituierende Sitzung des Landtags statt?

The election must take place no later than four weeks after the election, and the date of December 18 has already been set. If a special state parliament is held before this date, the existing members of parliament will meet again.

Keine Frist

Wann muss die neue Landesregierung feststehen?

There is no deadline. The old provincial government remains in office until a new one is sworn in - possibly even after December 18. The members of the government are elected by the provincial parliament, the federal president then swears in the governor, who in turn swears in his government colleagues.

Styrian Parliament President Manuela Khom (center) and her deputies Gabriele Kolar and Gerhard Deutschmann

(Bild: Brand Images e.U.)

Keine Vorgaben

Wer bildet das Landtagspräsidium?

The new mandataries elect three people from their ranks at the constituent meeting. It is not specified anywhere which parties will be elected - this is part of the political negotiations. In the last two periods, it was the three parties with the most votes. Currently, Manuela Khom (ÖVP) and her deputies Gabriele Kolar (SPÖ) and Gerhard Deutschmann (FPÖ) are in office.

Sache der Klubs

Gibt es eine fix festgelegte Sitzordnung im Landtag?

No, the parliamentary clubs agree on the allocation of seats in the run-up to the constituent session. Currently - from the perspective of the Presidium - the ÖVP and Neos are on the right, the FPÖ is in the middle, and the Greens, KPÖ and SPÖ are on the left.

Einige Vorgaben

Wie viele Landtagsausschüsse gibt es?

At last count, there were 13 committees. A few of them are legally defined in the parliamentary rules of procedure (for example the Committee for European Affairs), but some of them have so far been combined into specially formed committees. Each parliamentary group is entitled to at least one member and one substitute member per committee. The members then elect the chairpersons from their ranks; the Control Committee and the Petitions Committee must in any case be chaired by an opposition politician.

Neue Regierung am Zug

Wann wird das Budget für 2025 erstellt?

This will already be a task for the new state government. First of all, the 2024 budget will be updated. Finances will certainly be a major challenge, as the revenue share (tax income distributed by the federal government) is falling, but expenditure is rising steadily.

Gemeinderäte

Wann wird in der Steiermark wieder gewählt?

With the exception of Graz in four months' time. This is because on March 23rd, municipal council elections will be held in 284 municipalities (following the merger of Fürstenfeld and Söchau) - after three ballots this year. The parties have told us that after the Christmas vacations, the internal machinery will be ramped up again.