Tyrol FPÖ names Abwerzger its lead candidate for 2027 election

The Tyrol branch of Austria’s Freedom Party (FPÖ) has unanimously chosen its leader, Markus Abwerzger, as its lead candidate for the state election in autumn 2027, ORF reported. The party’s state executive board backed the 51-year-old on Friday evening.

Abwerzger, a lawyer who has led the FPÖ in Tyrol since 2013, will head its ticket for the third time. He aims to win first place and become the first FPÖ governor of Tyrol.

FPÖ aims to overtake the ÖVP

Abwerzger challenged the then ÖVP lead candidate, and current state governor, Anton Mattle, for the top job in the 2022 election. The FPÖ gained more than three percentage points, but finished behind the ÖVP, which received 34.71 percent of the vote to the FPÖ’s 18.34 percent.

Recent polls have put the parties in a close contest for first place. The Tyrol FPÖ wants to move from opposition into government after the election.

“I am looking forward to the election, because the FPÖ has a great chance to appoint Tyrol’s governor for the first time, and I am ready to make policy for and with the people of Tyrol,” Abwerzger said. He added that, for the first time in the history of Austria’s Second Republic, the Tyrol People’s Party (ÖVP) was facing a serious challenge from a rival.

The remaining places on the party list are due to be decided in May or June 2027. The lead candidates for the districts have already been confirmed. National Council member Christoph Steiner will lead the ticket in Schwaz district.