Political retirement

Vahide Aydin says goodbye to politics

Aydin is currently Spokesperson for Labor, Integration, Migration, Human Rights, Inclusion and Sport.(Bild: Mathis Fotografie)

In 2009, the Green MP was sworn in as the first female migrant in the Vorarlberg state parliament. After almost 25 years on the political stage, the politician of Turkish origin announced her retirement on Tuesday. 

Vahide Aydin admitted that the decision had not been easy for her. But after a quarter of a century in politics, it was time to hand over to the next generation. "But even if I leave the political stage, it doesn't mean that I will give up my political convictions. On the contrary, I will continue to stand up for justice and oppose all forms of discrimination," promised the Dornbirn native.

Born in Elbistan (Turkey) in 1968, Aydin emigrated to Vorarlberg with her family at the age of nine and first had to learn German. She later attended the BORG Lauterach, studied at the Social Academy in Bregenz and worked as a social worker for young people of immigrant origin at the counseling center of the Association for the Care of Foreigners in Dornbirn.

In 2000, she moved to the Institute for Social Services (IfS). In the same year, she joined the Dornbirn Green Party and became a member of the city council.

Entry into the state parliament
Aydin caused a stir nine years later when she became the first migrant to enter the Vorarlberg state parliament. In the election, the energetic campaigner had collected many preferential votes, especially in the community of Turkish origin, overtook Bernd Bösch from Lustenau and snatched the mandate in the Dornbirn district from him. Bösch entered the state parliament via the state list, which meant that Karin Fritz from Bludenz lost her seat.

In 2009, the Dornbirn Greens placed a throne in front of the chamber for their new representative. A symbol that women with a migration background can also make it to the top.(Bild: Mathis Dietmar)

"I vow. Yemin ederim," said Aydin at the constituent meeting in October 2009, making her the first MP to take her vows bilingually. "I decided to do it spontaneously because bilingualism is part of me," she explained at the time.

In her almost 15 years in the state parliament, Aydin has always been her party's spokesperson on integration. "She has contributed to migrants feeling better represented. Politicians must continue to pay attention to this in the future, as this section of the population is still barely represented," summarized Aydin's first club chairman, Health Minister Johannes Rauch.