Communist Party of Austria Wins Graz Municipal Election

The Communist Party of Austria (KPÖ) emerged as the clear winner in Graz’s local elections, securing roughly 36% of the vote (35.6% reported by one source and 36.8% by another). This marks a substantial increase from its 2021 result and puts the party ahead of the conservative Austrian People’s Party (ÖVP), which fell to about 25%, and the right‑wing Freedom Party (FPÖ), which dropped to fourth place.

Mayor Elke Kar, who has led the city since 2021 through a coalition with the Greens and Social Democrats, praised the result as a mandate for progressive housing and social‑welfare policies. The KPÖ’s platform emphasized affordable public housing, rent‑control measures, and a refusal to privatise municipal assets. Critics pointed to the mayor’s stance on EU sanctions against Russia. The outcome reshapes Graz’s political landscape, strengthening the KPÖ’s influence while further marginalising the ÖVP and FPÖ in the second‑largest Austrian city.