"568 individual elections"

Black whipping up for the super election Sunday

His fellow mayors listened very carefully to Johannes Pressl.

(Bild: Molnar Attila/Attila Molnar)

Johannes Pressl (ÖVP), President of the Austrian Association of Municipalities, motivated his party colleagues in Lower Austria for the "568 individual elections" across the country.

Whether black-blue in the state, or soon blue-black in the federal government - according to Austria's "Lord Mayor" Johannes Pressl, the state crisis should have virtually nothing to do with the local council elections. The president of the federal and state association of municipalities also confirmed this at the annual New Year's reception of the municipalities in the Landhausschiff in St. Pölten.

Pressl: "Awarding of certificates"
In his speech, Pressl referred to the mayors' pledge formula, which had served as a guide for five years and had been "worked through". Now, on 26 January, the day of the "certificate ceremony" had arrived. The local and city leaders are always "with the people", with a focus on unselfish and fair action. "When we go shopping, we get feedback on whether something is fair or not fair," said Pressl, himself the acting mayor of Ardagger in the district of Amstetten.

"Difficult starting situation"
In her speech, Governor Johanna Mikl-Leitner identified an "extremely difficult" initial situation including "incredible headwinds". This was another reason why she reminded her politicians of what they should remind their voters. The super election Sunday between Enns and Leitha is not about settling accounts with federal politics or the bureaucracy in Brussels, but rather about "what is happening right on our doorstep". And that is also what the elections should be about.