During the negotiations for a federal coalition, Vienna’s Mayor Michael Ludwig (SPÖ) made a significant decision to move the date of the Vienna state election from fall to April. The initial reason for this shift was to use the political climate in Vienna, which was influenced by a potential far-right government under Herbert Kickl of the FPÖ, to gain an advantage. However, this plan didn’t go as expected. Despite this, the new timing of the election turned out to be a stroke of luck for Ludwig and his party.
Soon after the election date was moved, the federal government situation shifted, with the ÖVP, SPÖ, and NEOS forming a coalition. This reduced the potential advantage a FPÖ-led government might have given the Vienna FPÖ. However, the early election date still worked to the SPÖ’s favor. The federal three-party coalition has so far avoided major mistakes, and the mood in Vienna has been relatively positive. Political analysts, like Peter Filzmaier and Thomas Hofer, believe the SPÖ used the situation wisely.
Despite the strong showing by the FPÖ in the election, analysts noted that while the party gained support from former ÖVP voters, it was not able to win back voters who stayed home in 2020. The SPÖ’s decision to continue excluding the FPÖ from a potential coalition was seen as a wise move, according to Hofer. He mentioned that for the Vienna SPÖ, excluding the FPÖ has almost become a tradition.
After the election, Ludwig began forming a negotiation team to explore potential coalitions with other parties, excluding the FPÖ. Many expect the SPÖ to continue its partnership with the NEOS, a move that would likely satisfy most voters. While other coalition options exist, they are less appealing, making the return of the “Punschkrapferl” coalition a real possibility.
