Chamber of Commerce election

Clear result in Chamber of Commerce election

Karlheinz Kopf, President of the Vorarlberg Chamber of Commerce, is naturally delighted with the result.

(Bild: Wirtschaftskammer Vorarlberg)

Shortly before the municipal elections in Vorarlberg, this ballot has already been decided: the results of the Chamber of Commerce elections were published on Friday. The existing conditions remain cemented.  

The Chamber of Commerce election is over. The clear favorite also emerged as the clear winner, namely the joint list "Vorarlberger Wirtschaft", which is a merger of Vorarlberger Wirtschaftsbund, Freiheitlicher Wirtschaft, Vorarlberger Wirtschaftsverband and Fraktionslosen. This list won 87.1 percent of the mandates, or 702 in absolute figures, which corresponds to a minimal increase of 0.13 percent compared to the 2020 election. 11.4 percent of the votes and 92 mandates went to the "Green Economy", which was therefore able to enjoy an increase of 1.74 percent. The "UNOS - Team Unternehmensfreude (NEOS)" list gained 1.24% (10 seats). The "Wirtschaftsverband Vorarlberg (SWV) - Team Michael Andreas Egger" won only two seats with 0.25 percent. 

Elections were only actually held in 40 of the 91 specialist groups, as only one nomination was submitted in 51 specialist groups, namely from the "Vorarlberger Wirtschaft" list, whose candidates are therefore automatically considered elected. The voter turnout was shockingly low, at 14.4 percent - which is also a signal.  

In April and May, the constituent meetings will take place in all specialist groups with the election of the guild masters and specialist group chairpersons. The election of the divisional representatives will then take place at the end of April/beginning of May. The procedure will finally end on May 14, 2025 with the election of the President and Vice Presidents in the Vorarlberg Economic Parliament.

President expresses his thanks
Karlheinz Kopf, President of the Vorarlberg Chamber of Commerce, commented on the result: "I would like to thank all the entrepreneurs who took part in the election. Now it is time to take on our role as a representative of interests, innovation partner and provider of education and services in the specialist organizations, sectors and higher-level units across all political groups in order to strengthen the local economy."

Greens delighted
Christoph Hiebl, state spokesperson for the Green Economy Vorarlberg, was also delighted on Friday: "With 11.41% of the mandates, we see the result as a clear mandate from entrepreneurs for a green turnaround in the economy and the Chamber." Hiebl also received support from the Green state spokespersons Daniel Zadra and Eva Hammerer. They interpreted the result as a "clear rejection of the fossil-fuel, backward-looking policies of the ÖVP business association" and as a "strong commitment to a modern, sustainable economic policy".