Prammer (SPÖ) favorite:

Linz elects mayor: results in the early evening

A lot is at stake in Linz today: 152,000 residents are being called upon to vote for either Dietmar Prammer (SPÖ) or Michael Raml (FPÖ) for mayor.

(Bild: Krone KREATIV/stock.adobe.com, Markus Wenzel)

SPÖ versus FPÖ in the Upper Austrian capital: since 7 a.m., a good 150,000 Linzers have been called upon to elect a new mayor. This second round of the election is necessary because none of the candidates achieved a majority on the first election day. The candidates are Dietmar Prammer (SPÖ) and Michael Raml (FPÖ). 

The mayoral run-off election in Linz started at 7 a.m. today. Almost 152,000 citizens can decide between the current SPÖ deputy mayor Dietmar Prammer and FPÖ city councillor Michael Raml. A first projection by the city is expected at 4.20 pm. After a meagre 42.2 per cent turnout at the first ballot two weeks ago, it is now time to mobilize voters.

SPÖ candidate Dietmar Prammer.

(Bild: Einöder Horst/Horst Einöder/Flashpictures)

Candidates have been on the road a lot in the past two weeks
For the two candidates for mayor, the aim is to mobilize non-voters as well as to win over the voters of the five other candidates in the first round of voting. In the two weeks between the first and second rounds of the election, the two politicians were out and about in the city, canvassing for votes on the streets and at doorsteps right up to the end. The FPÖ mainly in the south of Linz, "after all, this region is most affected by the integration problems," says Raml. His campaign promise is: "My coalition: with the people of Linz."

FPÖ candidate Michael Raml with his wife Sarah.

(Bild: Wenzel Markus/Markus Wenzel)

Green election recommendation for the red candidate
Prammer, on the other hand, presented himself on the final election posters as the "better choice for Linz". He also has the backing of the Greens, whose city councillor Eva Schobesberger is actively supporting the red candidate in order to "jointly prevent a shift to the right in our city". The fact that he in turn announced between the two rounds of voting that he intends to make photovoltaics mandatory for new buildings could win him percentage points with the Green electorate.

Freedom Party candidate hopes for the votes of ÖVP voters
FPÖ candidate Raml, on the other hand, sent a possible signal to ÖVP voters when he called for the preservation of crosses in Linz schools at the beginning of the week. At least in five schools or classes that serve as polling stations, these would be missing. However, there were no further election recommendations from other parties for Sunday.

In the first round of voting, the result was 40.2 to 20.2 percent
The early mayoral election had become necessary due to the resignation of Klaus Luger (SPÖ) in the wake of the Brucknerhaus affair. In the absence of publicly available polls, it was highly uncertain to what extent the affair had damaged the SPÖ, which has held the office of mayor since 1945. Prammer then came out on top in the first round of voting - surprisingly clearly for many. He received 40.2 percent of the vote. FPÖ competitor Raml received 20.2 percent.

What unites the candidates - and what divides them? "Krone" editor Mario Ruhmanseder has written this down in an analysis: One Linz, two, ways.