Graz elects Green party leader Judith Schwentner as vice-mayor after marathon vote

Following an extensive voting marathon, Judith Schwentner, the leader of the Green party, has officially been elected as the vice-mayor of Graz. The confirmation came after four rounds of balloting during a continuation of the constitutive city council meeting, solidifying the new city government's composition. Schwentner will serve alongside Mayor Elke Kahr, who was re-elected to her post the previous day.

The election process for the vice-mayor underscored the nuances of Graz's proportional representation system within its city senate. Unlike systems where the second-strongest party automatically secures the deputy mayor position, Graz's regulations allow for a member of a party with fewer votes to be chosen. This flexibility, however, led to a protracted and complex series of votes.

The initial rounds saw the Austrian People's Party (ÖVP), as the second-largest party, propose Kurt Hohensinner. Despite being the ÖVP's nominee, Hohensinner failed to secure the necessary majority in the 48-member city council in the first two rounds. The city's statutes mandate a minimum 24-hour break after the second round, leading to the continuation of the constitutive session on Friday.

During the third round, the ÖVP again proposed Hohensinner, but he once more fell short of a majority. The fourth and final round opened the floor for proposals from all represented clubs in the city council. Both the ÖVP and the Greens put forward candidates: Hohensinner and Schwentner, respectively. In a decisive turn, Schwentner secured 27 votes, surpassing Hohensinner's 20 votes, with one ballot declared invalid. Notably, the NEOS party shifted their support in this final round, voting for Schwentner instead of Hohensinner, thus concluding the election.