SPÖ Graz suffers historic loss – party leader Kampus resigns

Party leader Doris Kampus drew the immediate consequences once the count became known and announced her resignation on Monday evening. She will also not accept her mandate in the municipal council, it was said. In doing so, she clears the way for a personnel reset. During the campaign, Kampus had already announced that she would not support the existing coalition a second time: „jedenfalls nicht ein zweites Mal stützen“.

Election results at a glance

The election in Graz was dominated by the KPÖ, which clearly became the strongest force with 35.7 percent and expanded its seat gain to 18 seats (+3). The ÖVP came in second with 25.3 percent (-0.6) and holds 13 mandates. The Greens received 7 seats (-2), amounting to just under 14.9 percent (-2.4). The FPÖ reached 6 seats (+1), NEOS remains at 2 mandates and thus once again misses the third vote required for club status. The KFG no longer made it into the municipal council and is no longer represented.

The balance of power in the city senate is also shifting: the KPÖ and the Greens together hold four seats there (3 KPÖ, 1 Green) and thus a majority. The ÖVP has two mandates, the FPÖ one; the SPÖ is left empty-handed and will have no Regierungszitz in the new legislative period. Mayor Elke Kahr is to be re-elected by the newly constituted municipal council on August 27.

New balance of power in the city senate

Following Kampus's resignation, Hannes Schwarz, club chairman of the SPÖ in the Styrian state parliament, was appointed interim city party leader. He announced a comprehensive process to „organisatorisch und politisch neu aufzustellen“ the SPÖ. The SPÖ Graz will redefine itself in opposition in the coming years.

Hannes Schwarz takes over the city offensive

State party leader Max Lercher assured Schwarz of the full support of the state party. In a statement, he emphasized that it is not a given that the club chairman is taking on the leadership in this difficult transitional phase. At the same time, he expressly thanked Kampus for drawing the consequences after the election result and clearing the way for a new beginning. „Dass sie nach dem Wahlergebnis die Konsequenzen zieht und den Weg für einen Neustart freimacht, verdient Respekt und Anerkennung“, Lercher stated.

The constituent meeting of the new Graz municipal council is scheduled for August 27. By then, the other parties must also set their personnel course. While the ÖVP and the Greens, as well as the KPÖ, put their bodies through their meetings on Tuesday, the FPÖ and NEOS planned their sessions for Wednesday and the middle of the week, respectively. A total of 225,883 people were eligible to vote in Graz; voter turnout at around 54.2 percent was slightly above the 2021 figure (54.0 percent).

In terms of content, after the count of the remaining absentee ballots – which on Monday produced only minor shifts – the SPÖ makes clear that the election result does not constitute a mandate „in irgendeiner Form für eine Koalition oder fixe Zusammenarbeit zur Verfügung zu stehen“. The party is thereby tightening its opposition course against the existing city government, which it had already announced during the campaign.