Elke Kahr previously served as Deputy Chairwoman of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Austria and has been elected Mayor of Graz for two consecutive terms since 2021.
She is well known in Austria and Europe for her advocacy of social justice and the principle of leaving no one behind, demonstrated through the successful implementation of policies targeting the poor, low-income workers, small and micro enterprises, social housing, and support for education, health care, public transport and energy.
At the meeting, Ambassador Vu Le Thai Hoang congratulated Elke Kahr on her re-election as Mayor of Graz with a high level of trust, reflecting both her personal prestige and the role of the Communist Party in Graz.
The ambassador briefed her on Viet Nam’s socio-economic development and foreign affairs achievements during the Doi Moi (Renewal) process and the era of national rise under the leadership of the Communist Party of Viet Nam. He thanked the Communist Party of Austria and generations of Austrian friends for supporting Viet Nam during its past struggle for national liberation and in its current national development, creating a sound foundation for friendship and multifaceted cooperation between the two countries and peoples.
Towards 2027, when Viet Nam and Austria will celebrate the 55th anniversary of diplomatic relations, the ambassador proposed strengthening theoretical exchanges and sharing leadership and governance experience between the two Parties; collecting and sharing documents, materials and artefacts for display at the Museum of the Communist Party of Viet Nam on the occasion of the Party’s 100th founding anniversary in 2030; and promoting cooperation between Graz and Vietnamese partners in science and technology, smart urban management and social housing, education and vocational training, labour, especially nursing, tourism and heritage conservation, as well as twinning arrangements with Vietnamese localities.
Mayor Elke Kahr congratulated the Communist Party of Viet Nam on the success of its 14th National Congress, noting that the Communist Party of Austria had sent a congratulatory letter. She expressed admiration for the great achievements of the Vietnamese country and people under the leadership of the Communist Party of Viet Nam in national construction and defence.
She also shared and highly valued Viet Nam’s people-centred policies, its principle of leaving no one behind, and its peaceful foreign policy of putting the past aside and looking towards the future.
She affirmed her steadfast belief in Marxism and communist ideals, and her strong commitment to peace, international cooperation and a fairer society. She stressed that no work done for the people should ever be considered small. Her trusted re-election in Graz, she said, demonstrates public support for that approach and has drawn the attention of Communist Parties and localities in European countries to this governance model.
Elke Kahr agreed with Viet Nam’s proposed cooperation priorities and with promoting Party-to-Party diplomacy. She expressed her wish to invite Vietnamese delegations to Austria for theoretical exchanges and the sharing of practical experience. She also expressed readiness to help connect with networks of Austrian friends and share documents, materials and artefacts with the Museum of the Communist Party of Viet Nam, as well as coordinate activities marking the 55th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
