Local elections in Poland will be a hard test for the left. At the provincial level, he fights in a way against your willand participates in various coalitions in cities, less or more progressive, but usually with small chance of getting a city hall. Just being in the second circular will be a success.
Meanwhile, in Austrian Salzburg, the results of the fresh mayor's vote were rather surprising. While Bernhard Auinger, representing social democrats, was a favourite and his presence in the second circular (to be held on 24 March) did not surprise anyone, so it was expected that he would compete with the typical of the ruling city of the right, not Communist Kay-Michael Dankle. The second won 28 percent of the vote, respective times more than in erstwhile elections. He was right behind his centre-left rival. Why specified a consequence of the Communist organization (KPÖ)?
STADT SALZBURG | Wahlergebnis der Bürgermeisterwahl (mit Briefwahl)
Auinger (SPÖ): 29.4% (-1.3)
Dankl (KPÖ+): 28.0% (+25.7)
Kreibich (SVP): 21.6% (-19.7)
...
Änderungen zu 2019 (Nach Parteizugehörigkeit)
Auinger (SPÖ) und Dankl (KPÖ+) ziehen damit in die Stichwahl.#Salzburgpic.twitter.com/60nibqS4EQ
— Österreich Wählt (@Wahlen_AT) March 10, 2024
Self-government Communism in the Austrian edition
For the Salzburg communists, the breakthrough was the regional elections of last year, which led to the introduction of their representatives to the local Landtag for the first time in over sixty years. The 4 of them renounced much of their salaries, satisfying their wages at the level of an average individual and giving the remainder to social purposes. They followed the example of colleagues from Graz, where a red bastion within a conservative country had already been established.
The capital of Styria and the second largest city of Austria since 2021 has been governed by Elke Kahr, a communist mayoress. It replaced the right-wing typical of the ÖVP and, as indicated by the post-election analyses, the success was not so much due to the removal of part of the Social Democratic electorate of the SPÖ, but primarily to the mobilisation of non-voting residents and, to any extent, to the attracting of right-wing voters. Similarly, the communists in Salzburg gained support at the expense of all another political forces. They achieved this intensive work at the base and an efficient run around the most urgent needs of the inhabitants.
Half jokingly, half serious, the KPÖ local government program can be summarized with the words "apartments, apartments and apartments again". Not by accident to a breakthrough in Salzburg happened at the minute erstwhile the city recorded evidence rent increases. erstwhile the next community settlement was directed to demolish, the communists surrounded it with a surviving chain, and the candidate for mayor Kay-Michael Dankl announced that he would search to frost rents and block all decision that would settle in the inexpensive apartments available to the Salzburgers.
These are the specifics that spoke to voters, as opposed to abstract scare of populism and communism, which was the consequence of the establishment parties to Dankla's increasing popularity, privately combining the function of city councillor with the work of a museum guide.
Local bastions and national policy
W Grazie's activities of the communist town hall are, for now, assessed very positively. Elke Kahr even received the title “Best mayor in the worldIt’s okay. ” KPÖ members are based on constant contact with the local community, making their organization offices a kind of social assistance point where residents can search legal advice, administrative advice or ad hoc financial support in crisis situations. specified a strategy is effective in local policy but does not gotta warrant national success.
There have been no communists in the Austrian Parliament since the 1950s. At the time, it was a completely different party. In the meantime, they broke up with Stalinism, moved on to progressive positions, and started working together with environmental movements. The KPÖ in the fresh edition has the first real chance of exceeding the threshold of 4%, which would undoubtedly aid a good consequence in Salzburg or another city – on the way to the autumn national elections there will be a vote in Innsbruck. The question is whether further urban advancement will suffice.
The political career of the extremist left leader in neighboring Italy can service as a informing communicative to the Austrian communists. Luigi de Magistris in 2011 became mayor of Naples after a run based on anti-corruption demands. The office held for a decade, retained large popularity, and then tried to transfer local success to the level of national politics. Although in the meantime, the Kalabria regional elections brought a solid 16% vote and gave reason for average optimism, the People's Union he led won in recent parliamentary elections support for only 1.5% of voters.
The Austrian Left Perspectives
In the elections that will take place in a fewer months, the attitude of social democrats, who last year elected to represent the party's left wing, will be more crucial for the overall outcome. At this point, the SPÖ has, according to the poll, a small over 20% of support, like the conservative ÖVP, little than far right-wing FPÖ and clearly more than greens and liberals. The centre-left party's activities are presently weakening interior factions. If they want to go back to government, then inspired by communist tactics can aid them.
Until now, KPÖ's urban successes have effectively stopped local growth in support of the far right, which has small to offer on issues specified as housing. Although FPÖ uses the rising cost of surviving to hit the government, including the EU, climate policy and immigrants, it does not propose any viable solutions. In Graz or Salzburg, the communists managed to exposure the illusion of the promises of the far right, but at national level its communicative continues to dominate.
Without questioning the threat of civilization by immigrants or the harm of the Austrian Green Deal, the left will not prevent the likely FPÖ-ÖVP coalition. It is easier for self-government politicians to make direct contact with voters and focus their attention on surviving issues, which is 1 of the sources of communist progress. An example of housing policy, however, is mostly a state prerogative, and it is simply a precedence for voters to win SPÖ and enter the parliament of the KPÖ, and thus to halt the far right not only in individual cities but throughout Austria.
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