Enthusiasm in Graz

Kahr on Salzburg result: “Extraordinary”

Mayor of Graz Elke Kahr and comrades on Sunday at the Volkshaus in Graz, the party headquarters of the KPÖ(Bild: Christian Jauschowetz)

The upswing for the KPÖ+ in Salzburg is causing enthusiasm in the communist stronghold of Graz: Mayor Elke Kahr and other party officials see the election result as a trend for the elections in Innsbruck and the federal government.

Where will Kay-Michael Dankl's KPÖ+ end up in the Salzburg municipal elections? That was the big question that the communists in Graz were eagerly awaiting the answer to on Sunday - traditionally in their Volkshaus in the Gries district. 

Just as the first trend for the election result flickered across the screen and cheers broke out, the Graz mayor's cell phone rang. It was Kay-Michael Dankl, who gave Kahr the good news about second place with 25 percent (according to the first trend, the final result should be known by 10 pm). 

Just as the first trend came on TV, Dankl called Kahr(Bild: Christian Jauschowetz)

"The result is an extraordinary one, one of the best election results we have ever had at municipal level in Austria," commented Kahr. "It comes close to that in Graz. We are clearly the second strongest party - that is exactly what we hardly dared to hope for."

Two years after the Graz election, we would never have dared to dream that Salzburg could have a KPÖ mayor.

Elke Kahr

Kahr also sees an upswing for the National Council elections, for which the KPÖ believes it has a chance of winning for the first time: "That's motivating, no question about it. The next target is Innsbruck, where we hope to enter the local council. The Styrian regional elections are also very important for us." The functionaries are "hugely motivated. It's simply a pleasure to be involved in politics at the moment".

The comrades eagerly studied the count in Salzburg(Bild: Christian Jauschowetz)

"No advice" needed for mayoral run-off election
How much of the success is down to Kahr's charisma? "There was a foundation before me too. It is the work of many," says the mayor, taking a step back. Another KPÖ city leader in a provincial capital would be "unbelievable". "Every election is always a test and you have to keep the trust."

Kahr does not want to pay Dankl another visit in Salzburg. "The team doesn't need any more advice." However, they will continue to exchange ideas. 

Voices of protest on the far left
For Hanno Wisiak, the leading Styrian candidate for the National Council elections, the result is "astonishing". "It gives us courage. Established parties have no answers to many problems. Protest doesn't always have to swing to the right."