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By OÖN, 23 August 2024, 08:27
Image: VOLKER WEIHBOLD
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Image: VOLKER WEIHBOLD
LINZ. After resigning as chairman of the Linz SPÖ, Klaus Luger is also resigning from his position as mayor today.
On Thursday, Klaus Luger resigned from his party functions. Yesterday it was said that he wanted to remain mayor of Linz for another year. However, the pressure from his own ranks has probably grown in recent hours: Luger is stepping down as mayor today. The current deputy mayor, Karin Hörzing, will take over his duties.
This morning, Klaus Luger informed his party colleagues of his resignation at the Linz SPÖ retreat in Langenlois, Lower Austria. It is said that he wants to use this decision to clear the way for a new start. A press conference is planned for 12 noon in the Old Town Hall (in the live stream on The announcement in Langenlois was accompanied by much resentment, as some of the officials had only learned of Luger’s resignation through the media.
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The decisive factor in Luger’s decision was probably the crumbling support within the city party. The separation of the office of party leader and that of mayor was also viewed critically by many.
Planning councillor Dietmar Prammer is considered the favourite to succeed Luger. The SP executive committee must formally decide on the new mayoral candidate. However, a proposal is expected to be announced today.
Watch Luger’s public statement live on OÖN TV from 12 noon:
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Lindner: “Serious mistake”
“Mayor Klaus Luger’s mistake is serious. Neither his public apology nor his efforts to clear up the matter nor his resignation from his positions in the SPÖ were enough to regain the public’s trust,” said SPÖ-OÖ chairman Michael Lindner in a press release. “With his resignation as mayor, Klaus Luger is drawing the consequences and making a new start possible in the city and in the SPÖ Linz.” It would be “unfair” to reduce Luger and the SPÖ’s work in and for Linz solely to the misconduct he admitted, said Lindner.
Photo gallery: Klaus Luger: Stages of his career
View gallery
LIVA affair
After Luger announced on Tuesday that he had forwarded “general questions about the hearing” for the position of artistic director of the Linz event company LIVA and the Brucknerhaus to Dietmar Kerschbaum in 2017, the mayor of Linz is facing calls to resign. This came to light through cell phone chats between Luger and Kerschbaum before the artistic director positions were filled, which were made available to the OÖN.
Direct election by citizens
With the date of resignation now chosen, it is clear that Luger’s successor will be chosen by direct election. This is based on the legal basis. The announcement of the new election must take place within six weeks of the resignation.. Due to the election deadlines, a vote is expected to take place in November or December.
Mayor since 2013
Luger became mayor of the city of Linz at the end of 2013, succeeding Franz Dobusch. His relationship with his predecessor is cool. Luger began his political career as chairman of the Karlhof section, and from 1992 to 2000 he was district manager of the Linz SPÖ. In 2003 he was promoted to city councilor for spatial planning, building law and personnel, and in 2009 he was appointed deputy mayor.
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