Absolute broken

How an independent defeated an ÖVP superiority

High tension in Zwettl: election winner Alex Leutgeb (left) calls for areas of work in which his team can make a good contribution. City leader Franz Mold (right) wants to start coalition negotiations next week.(Bild: Krone KREATIV/Klaus Schindler (3))

Alex Leutgeb, now 31, triggered a magnitude 9 political earthquake in the brewing town of Zwettl after he stood as a candidate for the ÖVP in 2020 - and was ignored. How the end of the black absolute was "ushered in", why a fire department did not accept a donation and what election winner and town leader Franz Mold thinks of it all.

It was probably a mistake by the ÖVP in Zwettl when they did not make Alex Leutgeb, who was standing as a non-party candidate for the People's Party, a councillor in 2020 despite an agreement. Even then, the now 31-year-old received the fourth most preferential votes. After the ÖVP's election success at the time, city leader Franz Mold was unable to prevail against other forces in the party.