Vorarlberg opens bids for two top oversight posts

Vorarlberg’s state parliament has opened applications for two key oversight positions whose terms expire in spring 2027, ORF reported on Wednesday. The posts are director of the Vorarlberg State Audit Office and state ombudsman. Applications are open until September 22.

The State Audit Office examines how the state and municipalities use public money. The state ombudsman handles complaints from people who believe they have been treated unfairly by authorities. Both institutions are organs of the state parliament.

Six-year terms and strict requirements

The law requires both positions to be publicly advertised in the official gazette for Vorarlberg and in the state’s daily newspapers before the parliament votes. Each term lasts six years.

Candidates for director of the State Audit Office must be personally and professionally qualified and must not have been members of the state government during the previous five years. They may not hold a second job or a seat in a general representative body. Candidates must also appear before the parliament’s control committee for a hearing before the vote.

Ombudsman vote requires opposition support

The election of the state ombudsman is likely to be particularly significant politically. It requires three quarters of the votes cast. The governing ÖVP and FPÖ parties hold 26 of the 36 seats, while 27 votes are needed for a three-quarter majority if all seats are filled. The coalition therefore needs support from the opposition.

A two-thirds majority, or 24 votes, is required to elect the director of the State Audit Office.

Klaus Feurstein, a former director of Bregenz’s municipal administration, has served as state ombudsman since 2021. He told ORF Vorarlberg on Tuesday that he would apply for another term. Under the state constitution, he can be re-elected only once.

Brigitte Eggler-Bargehr has headed the State Audit Office since April 2015. Parliament unanimously re-elected her for a second term in December 2020. Unlike the state ombudsman, the director of the audit office is not subject to a limit on the number of re-elections. Eggler-Bargehr told ORF Vorarlberg that she would also apply again.

Both positions have gained importance in recent years. The State Audit Office, which marked its 25th anniversary in 2024, has also audited municipalities since a constitutional reform and publishes its reports. The state ombudsman handles several hundred complaints each year and reports to the state parliament.