Neunkirchen: ÖVP and SPÖ Neck and Neck After Municipal Council Election – Talks on Majorities Begin

The Greens also had to accept losses and came in at 8.81 percent, which also corresponds to three seats. Voter turnout was 51.96 percent, remaining almost unchanged compared to the ballot in January 2025.

Reactions of the Top Candidates

Peter Teix, who received a personal vote of confidence with 907 preferential votes, announced talks with all factions on election night. "We will talk to all factions as quickly as possible," Teix stated. He sees the result as a mandate to "open a new chapter for our city and move forward with full vigor."

Günther Kautz showed openness to various constellations. "It would naturally also be possible for the free forces in the municipal council to play a role if a mayor is agreed upon during the election," Kautz said. A first meeting between Teix and Kautz is scheduled for Tuesday evening.

Both major parties need a coalition partner to form a stable majority in the municipal council. Both the ÖVP and the SPÖ have emphasized that they will not exclude anyone from the talks and want to talk to all parties.

The SPÖ sees itself as being close to the FPÖ in terms of content regarding fee increases. Günther Kautz advocated for a significant reduction in fees. Whether this closeness in content favors cooperation remained open for the time being.

Starting Position for Coalition Negotiations

Helmut Fiedler, who ran with the slogan "System Change" and wanted to become mayor himself, admitted defeat. The Freedom Party intends to announce shortly how things will proceed with Fiedler after election Sunday. Fiedler himself spoke of stabilization and announced his intention to build a new and strong city FPÖ.

Matthias Zauner interpreted the result as a clear signal against polarization. "FPÖ top candidate Fiedler mobilized almost all top FPÖ politicians in recent weeks. They all came. None could prevent the largest loss of votes of all parties in the Neunkirchen municipal council election," Zauner said. The ÖVP sees this as a rejection of division and scandalization by the voters.

Sven Hergovich and Wolfgang Zwander spoke of a "very strong performance" by the Social Democrats in view of the close result. The outcome shows that a decent election campaign with competence and commitment pays off. Now it is up to the municipal council to set the course for the best possible development in Neunkirchen.

Voices from Other Parties

For the Greens, State Executive Director Hikmet Arslan stated that the result proves that his party can endure even under the most difficult conditions. The list "Wir für Neunkirchen" managed to secure three mandates right from the start and will play a role in the upcoming majority negotiations.

The distribution of mandates in the new municipal council is: ÖVP 12, SPÖ 12, FPÖ 7, List "Wir für Neunkirchen" 3, Greens 3. The constellation promises complex negotiations, as several mathematical majorities are possible.