Styrian reactions

“The wind from Vienna” blows into the provinces

On the rise: FPÖ with Herbert Kickl and Norbert Hofer(Bild: APA/ROLAND SCHLAGER)

Hans Peter Doskozil does not see himself alone as the winner of the election in Burgenland: the Styrian Greens and the FPÖ are also feeling the wind of change. The ÖVP, on the other hand, was blown away.

The ÖVP is stuck in a negative trend - as voters in Burgenland also showed on Sunday. At minus 8.6 percentage points, the loss was nevertheless less than in Styria (minus 9.2 percent).

"This was not a day of celebration for the ÖVP," admits Deputy Governor Manuela Khom. "I'm not one of those who say it's his or her fault. But of course: the wind from Vienna will also have made itself felt in Burgenland." Another pawn sacrifice? In any case, the local council elections in Lower Austria on Sunday will be watched with excitement, as dozens of ÖVP mayors in Styria will also be fighting for their jobs in March.

Styrian Green Party leader Sandra Krautwaschl sees remaining in the state parliament with 5.7 percent of the vote as a signal against the FPÖ and ÖVP, who are working on a federal government in Vienna - despite a small drop of one percentage point. "It is a strong signal to continue resolutely on this path in Styria too."

"This was not a day of celebration for the ÖVP. At the end of the day, the trend of the last elections has unfortunately continued. We as the ÖVP must do our homework."

Manuela Khom, ÖVP

Bild: Christian Jauschowetz

"The result in Burgenland shows that more and more people are recognizing the value of a green vote as an antithesis to blue and black."

Sandra Krautwaschl, Grüne

Bild: Christian Jauschowetz

"Across Austria, people are increasingly able to identify with liberal content, as the Burgenland election result has shown."

Mario Kunasek, FPÖ

Bild: Sepp Pail

Kunasek congratulates
The Freedom Party is once again jubilant - it gained 13.3 percentage points and came second with 23.1 percent. Governor Mario Kunasek congratulated: "Once again, after the FPÖ's previous election successes at national and provincial level, it became clear that there is a strong desire for political change among the population."

The people of Burgenland also longed for a state government with a "liberal signature" - it remains to be seen who will govern the smallest federal state with Doskozil.