Run-off election on March 24

Two arrows heat up the election campaign

Does this diagram suggest an election recommendation for the mayor? The ÖVP flyer is causing a stir in Oberalm. The citizens of the Tennengau village have another election on March 24.(Bild: Markus Tschepp/zVg)

Who will be the new mayor of Puch, Oberalm and Bad Vigaun? The election campaign in Tennengau is entering the decisive phase - including skirmishes between the parties. 

On Sunday it will be decided who will become the new mayor of Oberalm. Local leader Hans-Jörg Haslauer (ÖVP) had advertising flyers distributed in the village shortly before the run-off election. On it you can see: The result of the first ballot including arrows pointing in his direction from the FPÖ and the Greens. SPÖ rival Christian Haslauer finds this questionable: "It suggests something, there is no election recommendation from anyone! Such methods are unnecessary," he says. The Oberalm Green Party also promptly made it clear that they were not in favor of either candidate. Local leader Haslauer: "I don't understand the uproar. We just wanted to make it clear that people should go to the polls."

Helmut Klose has been mayor of Puch since 1999(Bild: Tschepp Markus)

Helmut Kloser (ÖVP), the mayor of Puch, also had to go into the run-off election as a complete surprise. Before the first round of voting, he did not spare his opponent Barbara Schweitl (SPÖ) any harsh remarks. He is much more moderate in the final round. In his current brochure on the run-off election, however, he admits that "we were not able to deal with all issues to the fullest satisfaction." Schweitl says: "I don't comment on the mayor's brochures. But this style is not appropriate and should be voted out."

The run-off election in Bad Vigaun is likely to be particularly exciting. Only seven votes separated ÖVP local leader Friedrich Holztrattner and his rival Alexander Sartori (BBV) in the first round of voting.