In Styria

The mayoral merry-go-round continues

New in office: Karin Stromberger and Franz Josef Lemmerer(Bild: Krone KREATIV/ÖVP Bezirk Liezen, Gemeinde Gabersdorf)

There are always new mayors in Styria: Karin Stromberger leads Gabersdorf as a lateral entrant. In Wörschach, a son succeeds his father. Mooskirchen's long-term mayor Engelbert Hubert announces his retirement. And there is high tension ahead of a special meeting in Selzthal.

In mid-June, the "Krone" reported that there have already been 72 changes of mayor in Styria since 2020. More have since followed: In Groß St. Florian, Alois Resch has handed over the office to Johann Posch, while in Gabersdorf, lateral entrant Karin Stromberger has succeeded Franz Hierzer.

She has been running her own salon "La Biosthetique Salon Silly" in Gabersdorf for 22 years and is a speaker and honorary Austrian president of the largest private hairdressing and cosmetics association in Europe. Stromberger was unanimously elected by the local council on Monday evening. She emphasized the importance of putting the common good first.

Change in Gabersdorf: former mayor Franz Hierzer, mayor Karin Stromberger and district governor Manfred Walch(Bild: Gemeinde Gabersdorf)

Wörschach: son succeeds his father
A very special change took place in Wörschach on Wednesday evening: Franz Lemmerer retired after 26 years as mayor. But at least when it comes to names, little will change at the top of the Ennstal community: son Franz Josef Lemmerer was elected as his successor. The former bank employee studied music and works as a music school teacher in Liezen and Gröbming and is very active in community life. He has been a member of the municipal council since 2020.

District governor Nico Groger praised Franz Josef Lemmerer on Wednesday evening at(Bild: ÖVP Bezirk Liezen)

Mooskirchen: First change in 26 years
In Western Styria, a veteran of local politics will also be stepping down this year: Engelbert Huber from Mooskirchen, who took office 26 years ago after the sudden death of his predecessor Johann Trost. "Back then, you had more opportunities to shape things as mayor," says Huber.

"Five years ago, I promised that there would be personnel changes before the next election. I always keep my promises!" The exact date of Huber's resignation is still open. The ÖVP will propose Peter Fliesser as his successor.

High tension before the meeting in Selzthal
The example of Selzthal shows that not all mayoral changes are friction-free. The ÖVP won sensationally in the red railroad workers' stronghold in 2020, but now the parliamentary group is tearing itself apart. Following mass resignations, only Mayor Hannes Mitterhauser and his "deputy" Christoph Dorninger remain.

Today, the SPÖ will therefore table a motion of censure against Mitterhauser at an extraordinary municipal council meeting. However, if both Mitterhauser and Dorninger withdraw from the municipal council after being voted out of office, only seven of 15 councillors would remain.

This would result in the dissolution of the municipal council, the appointment of a government commissioner and new elections - shortly before the regular election on March 23, 2025.