Tyrol labour chamber chief rules out 2029 re-election bid

Erwin Zangerl, president of the Tyrol Chamber of Labour, a body representing workers and employees, will not stand in the next scheduled election in 2029, ORF reported. He made the announcement on Wednesday during an interview on the programme Tirol heute.

Zangerl has led the chamber since 2008 and has retained his position with an absolute majority at every election. He said he had already made clear before the 2024 election that it would be his last, adding that what he said before the election also applied afterwards.

The chamber has brought legal actions on issues including nursing wages, TIWAG electricity prices and the merger of health insurance funds. It has about 380,000 members and provides nearly 300,000 consultations a year.

Zangerl said the Chamber of Labour was indispensable and argued that political parties could not provide the same range of services. He was responding to recurring criticism from the Freedom Party of compulsory membership.

He also pointed to social cohesion and future opportunities as positive developments in Tyrol.