Mayor of Vienna

Will the Zuckerl coalition last five years, Mr. Ludwig?

Mayor of Vienna Michael Ludwig (SPÖ)(Bild: Zwefo)

A lightning visit to the mayor. Michael Ludwig (SPÖ) on the Zuckerl coalition, his favorite headline, what he wants for 2025 and what will be served at Christmas...

Inside the lavishly decorated Christmas tree, outside the windows the winter wonderland of the country's most famous Advent market - in Mayor Michael Ludwig's town hall office, no one can escape the Christ Child. We hand the head of the city the "Krone" headline book and talk briefly about a few topics:

There is, of course, ensuring how the budgetary situation presents itself now that Finance Minister Magnus Brunner of the ÖVP is in charge of the budget.

Ludwig über das Budget

A sweet coalition in the federal government. Will it really last five years? "I am convinced that if we get off to a good start now, it will not only last for five years, but that important reforms will also be introduced," says Ludwig. But there will be no Christmas miracle. The city boss continues: "Realistically, I would guess January."

Budget negotiations without budget figures. "This is certainly one of the main points under discussion. After all, many of the decisions discussed in the working groups are dependent on funding," he explains. "Of course, we have to make sure what the budgetary situation is like now that Finance Minister Magnus Brunner from the ÖVP is responsible for the budget."

"Our own commissioner"
Ludwig's favorite headline this year: "Affordable housing: Vienna should serve the EU as a role model" The mayor commented: "We have held a series of international conferences on the subject and I also suggested that there should be a separate commissioner whose areas of competence include housing. That has been successful. A strong signal for urban metropolitan areas."

Representatives of the possible Zuckerl coalition: Babler, Nehammer, Meinl-Reisinger(Bild: APA/Helmuth Fohringer)

What headline would you like to see in 2025? Ludwig: "A good SPÖ result in the Vienna elections."

Ludwig waves off early elections in Vienna, with dates around May being bandied about. Regular elections will be held - probably on October 5.

Christmas in the Ludwig household: "I'm spending the time in Vienna, just as I spent the summer in Vienna. I can't think of a better city. My wife is from Upper Austria. Traditionally, according to Upper Austrian custom, we have sausages and sauerkraut on the table, but this time it's more likely to be carp and potatoes. That's where you assert yourself as a Viennese."