Before the municipal council election on September 26th, hardly anyone would have expected it – but now Graz, Austria’s second largest city, has the first female CP mayor. On Wednesday Elke Kahr was sworn in in the municipal council’s alternative quarter, the Graz exhibition hall, that she heads a coalition of her KPÖ, the Greens and the SPÖ. Kahr received 28 of 48 votes in the municipal council. Two mandataries were excused, the 18 invalid votes are likely to have come from the ÖVP and FPÖ.
Change is also part of democracy, said Kahr, who in her speech thanked not only her predecessor Siegfried Nagl (VP), but also her mentor, Ernest Kaltenegger, former communist councilor for many years, and former SP mayor Alois Stingl. ÖVP city councilor Kurt Hohensinner spoke of a “decisive day” on September 26th. He values Kahr as a person, but she has opted for a “coalition far from the center,” said Hohensinner. FP club boss Alexis Pascuttini described the situation as “unpleasant”. On the other hand, there was joy among the Greens and the SPÖ: Green councilor Manuela Wutte spoke of a “historic moment”.
Source From: Nachrichten
