Vienna’s SPÖ begins coalition talks, Karl Mahrer resigns after ÖVP’s poor election results, teacher shortage prompts call for new applicants—and more stories from Austria on Tuesday.
Vienna SPÖ begins coalition talks after election victory
Vienna’s SPÖ, led by Mayor Michael Ludwig, will begin exploratory talks today with the NEOS, the Greens, and the ÖVP to form a new city government, as reported by Der Standard.
Ludwig ruled out a coalition with the right-wing Freedom Party (FPÖ) and aims to conclude exploratory talks by the end of the week, with coalition negotiations likely starting next week. The SPÖ has 43 seats and can form majorities with several partners, although political analysts suggest a renewal of the SPÖ-NEOS coalition is most probable.
ÖVP leader Mahrer resigns after Vienna election defeat
Karl Mahrer announced his resignation yesterday following the Vienna ÖVP’s sharp losses in Sunday’s election, where the party fell below ten percent, according to ORF.
Mahrer described the results as “very, very painful” and recommended Markus Figl, district mayor of the Inner City, as his successor. The ÖVP is now in the midst of restructuring, aiming to rebuild after its worst municipal election showing in decades.
Teacher shortage: 6,100 jobs advertised for coming school year
Austria’s Ministry of Education announced that 6,100 teaching positions are being advertised nationwide for the 2025/26 school year, ORF reported.
This corresponds to more than 4,000 full-time jobs, with Vienna seeing the highest demand at around 2,000 positions. Education Minister Christoph Wiederkehr (NEOS) encouraged both certified teachers and career changers to apply. Applications close on May 9th.
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City Senate approves Porsche tunnel access fee in Salzburg
The city of Salzburg approved a revised €48,000 access fee for Wolfgang Porsche’s planned private tunnel through the Kapuzinerberg, as reported by ORF Salzburg.
The fee, higher than the originally agreed €40,000, was based on a valuation provided by Porsche himself. Opposition parties criticised the low cost, especially given that the project still faces hurdles due to landscape conservation regulations.
Lufthansa discontinues in-flight shopping on long-haul flights
Lufthansa will end in-flight sales of goods like perfumes and cigarettes on long-haul routes by September, citing poor profitability, according to Die Presse.
In-flight shops have already disappeared from many short-haul flights. However, sales will continue via the airline’s web store and airport shops. Other German airlines like Tuifly and Condor are not following Lufthansa’s example for now.
Hundreds of kilos of drugs intercepted en route to Vienna
Police seized 380 kilograms of cannabis and two kilograms of cocaine in two major drug busts around Easter, Vienna.at reported.
The drugs were hidden under food shipments in trucks arriving from Slovenia. Five men were arrested, and further investigations are underway to determine links to Balkan organised crime networks.
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Ice saints could bring late frost across Austria
Although spring temperatures are rising, Austria could still face ground frost during the traditional Ice Saints period from May 11th to 15th, Kurier reported.
According to farming folklore, the days of Mamertus, Pankratius, Servatius, Boniface, and Sophia often bring a final cold snap. Gardeners are advised to plant frost-sensitive crops only after mid-May to avoid damage.
Two children die in apartment fire in Lower Austria
An investigation into Saturday’s tragic fire in Gmünd found that a young boy likely caused the blaze by lighting a mattress with a lighter, according to Die Presse.
The fire killed a one-year-old and the five-year-old, while their mother remains hospitalised with serious injuries. Authorities have involved the Federal Criminal Police Office to aid the investigation.
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