Communist came up trumps

The big secret of Dankl’s success

The communist Kay-Michael Dankl is causing a furor.

(Bild: Krone KREATIV, Andreas Tröster, Markus Tschepp)

The political rise of communist Kay-Michael Dankl in the city of Mozart has attracted nationwide attention. The "Krone" spoke to two experts about the "Dankl-red" secret of success and the Salzburg native's "populist streak". Also: Why the Neos are not gaining traction in the homeland of their driving force Sepp Schellhorn and why party headquarters are "brooding".

There was everything from a hangover to jubilation in Salzburg on Monday morning. In the city of Mozart, the Social Democrats, but above all the Communists, rejoiced. Although the ÖVP lost the mayor's seat in the capital, it remains the dominant political force in the province.

As clear as the results are, the conclusions drawn by experts and party headquarters from the first results of the super election year are very different. Particularly in focus: KPÖ high-flyer Kay-Michael Dankl, who made it into the run-off from a standing start. Political scientist Katrin Praprotnik and Professor Reinhard Heinisch, who taught Dankl himself at Salzburg University, reveal the secret of Dankl's success for the "Krone".