Election in Pinzgau

The two red towns and the black villages

Great joy among the election winners: the SPÖ Zell am See around Mayor Andreas Wimmreuter.(Bild: Hölzl Roland)

(Bild: Hölzl Roland)

The SPÖ man in Zell celebrates a brilliant victory, the red mayor in Saalfelden a less pleasing one. Rural Pinzgau remains in the hands of the ÖVP.

Andreas Wimmreuter conquered the black town of Zell am See in 2019 and is now firmly in the saddle: "I was actually expecting a run-off election, so the joy is all the greater now," says the election winner in an interview with Krone. The hoped-for result could even be topped. The SPÖ is now the strongest parliamentary group in the municipal council. "But I want to be humble about the result and take my hat off to every candidate."

SPÖ held on to its strongholds

In general, the historic red strongholds remained firmly in red hands: Klaus Portenkirchner in Dienten, Hannes Lerchbaumer in Uttendorf, Peter Loitfellner in Rauris and Michaela Höfelsauer in Lend. They were all able to defend their office for the SPÖ - in some cases with minor losses. Only in Maria Alm did the SPÖ narrowly lose office. In Kaprun, on the other hand, the neo-mayor was able to win and improve his result.

All eyes are now on Saalfelden
But: a red stronghold is crumbling. Erich Rohrmoser (SPÖ) has to face a run-off election against his black rival Thomas Haslinger. In the municipal council, the Reds had to make some serious sacrifices: "Many people voted for the new citizens' list. The cooperation will be different," Rohrmoser tells the "Krone" newspaper. He wonders whether the announced but unrealized projects such as the House of Music were a factor. "We will work on improving ourselves. My goal remains: I want to remain mayor."

Rural Pinzgau, on the other hand, remains largely in black hands. There were successful defenses of office in a number of villages: Alois Hasenauer in Saalbach-Hinterglemm, Michael Obermoser in Wald, Erich Czerny in Krimml, Hannes Enzinger in Bramberg, Günther Brennsteiner in Niedernsill, Johann Gassner in Taxenbach, Florian Juritsch in Unken, Michael Lackner in St. Martin, Josef Grießner in Leogang and Josef Hohenwarter in Weißbach. Barbara Huber was able to hold her own against four candidates in Bruck. In Piesendorf, Viehhofen, Maishofen, Stuhlfelden and Hollersbach there are new black village heads. However, in some Oberpinzgau municipalities, the ÖVP was ousted from first place in the municipal council: For example in Neukirchen, where there will be a run-off election. Or in Stuhlfelden, where the Freedom Party even replaced the Black Party as the strongest parliamentary group.