There was a surprise at today’s meeting of the Linz City Council: Municipal Director Ulrike Huemer delivered a statement from the state that the earliest possible date for the mayoral election is December 8th. Until now, December 1st had been assumed. However, a closer examination has shown that the date is not permissible.
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The reason is the editorial deadline of the “Official Linz Newspaper”, in which the new election must be announced. It will be published on September 2nd, exactly the day on which Vice Mayor Karin Hörzing (SP) takes over from Klaus Luger. However, she would have to submit the text of the announcement this week, which is not legally possible because she is not yet in office. The deadlines stipulated in the local election regulations mean that December 8th is the earliest possible election date. According to the usual procedure, the expected run-off election would be on December 22nd, just before Christmas. The state is still checking whether it would be possible to schedule the run-off election after just one week.
Joining forces for the election on 8 December
The ÖVP, FPÖ and Greens are nevertheless sticking to their demand for the election to be held as early as possible in order to “quickly secure the necessary stability at the political level in the state capital”. In a joint letter signed by all members of the city senate and municipal council representatives, the three parties are calling on interim mayor Karin Hörzing (SP) to set the mayoral election for December 8. The main aim is to prevent a long election campaign. The three factions would prefer an election date in Advent to a weeks-long delay over the holidays. “Please recognize the opinion of the democratically legitimated majority in this city,” the letter to Hörzing says.
Prammer for election in January
SPÖ mayoral candidate Dietmar Prammer has already spoken out in favor of an election date in January. He argues that should give the people of Linz a breather after the National Council elections. Many voters would also not appreciate an election campaign in the middle of Advent. In the OÖN interview, however, Prammer does not hide the fact that he would prefer to have more time to exchange ideas with the people of Linz and to present his ideas.
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Hörzing can decide on its own when the election will take place. The local election regulations do not set a deadline. However, the basic principle is that the election date should not be unnecessarily extended. Whether this would be the case if the election were held at the end of January is likely to be a controversial issue.
Performance in Alpbach
Prammer was not present at the meeting of the city council, which reportedly caused some irritation. He represented Mayor Klaus Luger at the Alpbach Forum in Tyrol, on the one hand at table discussions with decision-makers from politics, business and society, which were initiated by AK Upper Austria Andreas Stangl, and on the other hand at a networking session which was organized in cooperation with the Mayor of Prishtina, Përparim Rama, was organized.
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Image: City of Linz
Source: Nachrichten
