Municipal elections 2025

Fässler versus Fäßler on Sunday in two weeks’ time

The ÖVP candidate Julian Fässler is the preferred successor to outgoing mayor Andrea Kaufmann.

(Bild: Shourot Maurice)

ÖVP candidate Julian Fässler has a good chance of winning the run-off election in Dornbirn. In the election of the city representatives, however, the Black Party had to make some serious sacrifices. 

Andrea Kaufmann, who is still mayor, was spared a run-off election in 2020. With 51.68%, she finished well ahead of her four competitors, of whom Markus Fäßler (SPÖ) did best at the time with 16.3%.

The cards were completely reshuffled on Sunday. Kaufmann's preferred successor Julian Fässler (ÖVP) did well in his first election as top candidate, but the 39-year-old was not spared a run-off. 37 percent was not enough for the former member of the provincial parliament to win the election. However, there is a good chance that he will be ahead of challenger Markus Fäßler in a fortnight's time - he received 25.5% in the first round of voting.

I am satisfied with the mayoral election result. It's a good starting position for the run-off. However, I would have expected a little more from the party results.

Julian Fässler, Liste „Julian Fässler – Dornbirner Volkspartei“

Bild: lisamathis.at

There was no belated birthday present for the leading candidate of the Freedom Party: Christoph Waibel had celebrated his 60th birthday on Saturday, but with 19.6 percent in the direct mayoral election on Sunday, it was not enough for the second round of voting. On the other hand, the FPÖ result in the election of city representatives is likely to have been a cause for celebration. The Freedom Party achieved 20.7 percent. They thus improved by 8.8 percent and gained 4 seats.

The Social Democrats were also pleased with a gain of 6.6% and 2 seats. However, there is still a small drop of bitterness: With 20.5 percent, they finished just behind the FPÖ and just as narrowly missed out on an eighth mandate. Fässler and "his" ÖVP will probably be less than pleased with the result in the city council elections. While Kaufmann received a less-than-inspiring 43.53% (17 seats) in 2020, this year the black party plummeted to 34.3% (13 seats).

Both election results are gigantic. Now it's time to work, work, work - maybe we'll even manage to win the run-off election for mayor?

Markus Fäßler, Liste „Markus Fäßler und die Dornbirner SPÖ“

The Greens were not quite able to match their sensational 2020 result. With 19.87% (7 seats), they were the second strongest force in the city parliament at the time. With 16.1% (6 seats), they only managed fourth place this time. The Neos also lost one mandate and ended up with 7 percent (2 mandates). The KPÖ did not play a role.