Lower Austria elects its 100th female mayor

Lower Austria has elected its 100th serving female mayor, ORF reported, after Sabine Tolstiuk of the Austrian People’s Party was chosen on Thursday in the municipality of Natschbach-Loipersbach.

Women now lead 17 percent of the 573 municipalities in Lower Austria. The number of female mayors has increased fivefold since 2004. Lower Austria has the highest proportion in Austria, where women led about 12 percent of the country’s 2,092 municipalities in August 2026.

Despite the increase, more than four out of five municipalities in Lower Austria are still led by men. Tolstiuk said changing gender roles had not eliminated traditional expectations and that many women carefully considered whether they could combine the responsibilities of the office with family and professional commitments.

Women account for about 25 percent of deputy mayors in Lower Austria and around 30 percent of municipal councillors. Their share falls to about 17 percent at mayoral level, meaning that women remain less represented as political office becomes more senior.

Tolstiuk succeeded Günther Stellwag and became the first female mayor of Natschbach-Loipersbach. She is the 12th female mayor in the Neunkirchen district, where women now lead about 27 percent of the 44 municipalities.

The district was also home to Austria’s first female mayor. In 1948, 78 years ago, Zenzi Hölzl of the Social Democratic Party became mayor of Gloggnitz. She held the office for 10 years and focused in particular on women’s rights and social housing.

In 1996, 20 women served as mayors across Austria, including Lisbeth Kern of the Social Democratic Party, who was elected mayor of Petzenkirchen municipality that year. She was re-elected six times and remained in office for almost three decades, making her Austria’s longest-serving female mayor.

Kern stepped down in February 2026 and handed the office to Günther Sidl of the Social Democratic Party. Petzenkirchen had not had a male mayor since 1996. The municipality awarded Kern honorary citizenship in recognition of her service and commitment.

Tolstiuk said figures such as Hölzl and Kern were important role models. Seeing another woman serve as mayor could lower the barrier for others, she said, adding that women should not feel they had to be perfectly prepared for every task before taking office.

Political responsibilities also needed to be compatible with family and private life, Tolstiuk said. Otherwise, she added, the challenge would affect both women and men.