KPÖ secures decisive victory in Graz municipal election

The Communist Party of Austria (KPÖ) won the June 2026 Graz municipal election with roughly 36 % of the vote, a gain of about seven percentage points and an increase to 18 of the 48 council seats. 64‑year‑old mayor Elke Kahr, who has led the city since 2021, was re‑elected and is expected to keep the mayoral post. The KPÖ’s surge made it the strongest party in Graz, while the ÖVP fell to about 25 % and the Greens to around 15 %. The Social Democratic Party (SPÖ) dropped to a historic low of about 5‑6 %, and the FPÖ rose modestly to roughly 12 %. Voter turnout was around 53 %, and the KPÖ mobilised the largest share of former non‑voters, according to an ORF/Foresight analysis. The party’s platform emphasised affordable housing, infrastructure and citizen proximity; many KPÖ councillors donate a large part of their salaries to a social fund. With the KPÖ and Greens together holding a narrow majority, a coalition between the two parties appears viable, even without the SPÖ. The next steps include coalition talks and the constituting session of the new city council, scheduled for late August.