Municipal elections 2025

“Abuse of office is not an offense like parking”

After Tschann's conviction, Leiter senses a breath of fresh air.(Bild: Mathis Fotografie)

Bludenz SPÖ top candidate Mario Leiter launches an attack on Simon Tschann (ÖVP) at the team presentation. The incumbent mayor was convicted of abuse of office at the end of the year and has appealed against it. 

"The conviction of the incumbent mayor for abuse of office has put Bludenz in a difficult situation: abuse of office is not an offence like parking illegally, abuse of office is a crime that carries a sentence of up to five years in prison," emphasizes Mario Leiter.

"A lack of character"
Tschann had already been sentenced to eleven months in prison in the first conviction and thus only narrowly avoided forced removal from office. "The fact that Simon Tschann did not have the decency to resign of his own accord is a heavy burden for the city. I find it particularly lacking in character that he blames his employees and then claims to protect them," rages Leiter. As a police officer, he trusts the rule of law and is certain that, given the clarity of the first verdict, the second instance will uphold it.

The first five places behind Leiter are occupied by Catherine Muther, Bernhard Corn, Julia Westreicher and Andreas Fritz-Wachter. If Leiter wins the mayoral election at the third attempt, he wants to focus on affordable housing and business relocations.