A no-confidence motion by the opposition against him was rejected on Wednesday afternoon in the Vorarlberg state parliament by 25 votes to 11. The green government partner had already declared in the state parliament session that they would not support the application – the decision was not made lightly, but they wanted to ensure stability, explained club chairwoman Eva Hammerer.
In addition to the 17 MPs from the ÖVP and the seven from the Greens, non-party MP Thomas Hopfner also voted against the motion. With the voting behavior of the Greens, a government crisis seems to have been averted. Before the meeting, it was not certain until the very end how they would vote. If they had voiced their distrust in the governor, that would probably have meant the end of the coalition and led to new elections, which the acting SPÖ club chairwoman Manuela Auer also advocated in her speech.
The ÖVP put the Greens in a very difficult situation, according to Hammerer. They did not make the decision easy for themselves, but decided not to support the motion of no confidence and thus to ensure clarification and stability, she explained. Confidence in the governor was shaken. But the most important thing now is a complete clarification, and that doesn’t happen by simply exchanging a head or with a motion of no confidence. Here she has complete trust in the judiciary.
If the Greens had backed the motion of no confidence, state elections would probably have been held – and with that, from Hammerer’s point of view, an investigative committee that was absolutely necessary and the decision on the new, “historic” party funding law would be “far away”, she continued. Now, in difficult times, politicians have “to work and not to break the fence in state elections”.
Wallner himself again rejected the allegations of corruption against him in the state parliament. The opposition had again called for Wallner’s resignation in the state parliament and also appealed to the Greens to support the motion of no confidence. If they didn’t do that, they would “cover for the governor,” explained FPÖ club chairman Christof Bitschi. All in all, it is about breaking up the “ÖVP system”, according to the tenor of the opposition speakers, and that requires a clear cut, Wallner – apart from the allegations of corruption against him – must take responsibility as a manager.
Wallner has come under heavy criticism in recent weeks due to inconsistencies in the Vorarlberger Wirtschaftsbund. In addition, the Economic and Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (WKStA) is now investigating him. It is suspected that he may have tried to demand advantages as a public official for the dutiful performance of official business.
Source: Nachrichten
