SPÖ Kematen Appeals to Constitutional Court After Municipal Elections in Lower Austria

The decision of the state main election authority confirmed that at least 15 postal votes were issued unlawfully, the SPÖ Kematen stated on Tuesday. Despite this finding, the authority took no further action.

SPÖ Kematen Stunned by Authority's Statements

The SPÖ Kematen knows that eligible voters were observed, guided, and pressured while voting, identity proofs were missing, postal votes were falsely offered, and postal vote applications were not filled out by the applicants themselves. The authority argues that these violations allegedly did not affect the election result, "since at least 19 applications would have to be incorrectly issued or improperly handled in some form to trigger a shift in mandates." The local group: "We are stunned." In the municipality in the Amstetten district, only the ÖVP and SPÖ ran. The People's Party won twelve mandates (minus two), while the Social Democrats received nine (plus two).

Repeat of Municipal Elections in Four Municipalities

The state main election authority decided last Monday that elections will be held again in four municipalities. The entire election day will be repeated in Gablitz (St. Pölten district) and Marchegg (Gänserndorf district), starting from the submission of election proposals in Maria Lanzendorf (Bruck a.d. Leitha district). In Klosterneuburg (Tulln district), one precinct is affected.

SPÖ Sees "Strong Sign of Life" in Municipal Elections in Lower Austria

The state manager of the SPNÖ, Wolfgang Zwander, sees the result of the municipal elections in Lower Austria as "much more than a very strong, vigorous sign of life of social democracy in the countryside." The Reds have 106 mayors in the 573 municipalities, which is about as many as before the election, Zwander said at a press conference on Tuesday. NÖ GVV President Andreas Kollross called for municipal aid packages from the federal and state governments. The overall balance "can be seen," even though "there is a lot of room for improvement," Zwander said. In addition to the 106 mayors - including Maria Lanzendorf (Bruck an der Leitha district), where a new election is necessary - there are also "half-time solutions": In St. Andrä-Wördern (Tulln district) and Dorfstetten (Melk district), the Social Democrats will appoint the local chief from the middle of the legislative period. In Mödling, however, the mayor in the first half comes from the SPÖ, then the Greens take over. The number of female SPÖ local chiefs compared to before the election on January 26th has increased from 20 to 23. Of the approximately 3,000 councilors, 32 percent are female.

SPÖ-Kollross Identifies "Very Dramatic" Financial Situation in Lower Austria

Zwander particularly emphasized that the Social Democrats will appoint the mayor in nine new municipalities, including the district capitals Mödling and Scheibbs, in the future. In 28 municipalities, the deputy comes from the SPÖ. In 82 municipalities, the SPÖ holds the absolute majority, and in 23, the Social Democrats lead a coalition. In 21 municipalities, the SPÖ works with the ÖVP, in twelve with a list each, in seven with the FPÖ, and in five with the Greens. Kollross, who is also the mayor of Trumau (Baden district), pointed out a "very dramatic" financial situation of the cities and municipalities. To keep a place alive, it requires commitment but also monetary support. "The federal and state governments must develop municipal aid packages," demanded the president of the GVV NÖ. In the election on January 26th, the SPÖ lost from 27.73 to 26.39 percent in the "fictitious state result" and took second place behind the ÖVP. In terms of mandates, that is 2,997, 128 fewer than five years ago. The ÖVP currently has 447 mayors, and in the second half of the legislative period, it will be 448. FPÖ local chiefs exist in Gerasdorf near Vienna (Korneuburg district) and Enzersdorf an der Fischa (Bruck an der Leitha district). Additionally, there are Dorfstetten and Alberndorf im Pulkautal (Hollabrunn district) with "half-time solutions."

(APA/Red)

This article has been automatically translated, read the original article here.