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Austria - 11.03.2010

Mayor strongly involved in CEMR's activities retires

On 25 February, at the age of 67, Hilde Zach announced her decision to retire from her position as mayor of Innsbruck.

First elected in 2002 on the Liste für Innsbruck, the Innsbruck electoral list, she became the first female mayor of the city of Innsbruck as well as of an Austrian provincial capital.

A strong minded business woman, Hilde Zach played an influential role in a number of CEMR activities. In 2006, she notably hosted CEMR's general assembly in Innsbruck, where the Charter for Equality of Women and Men in Local Life was first launched, and was the first mayor to sign the Charter.

As mayor, she was very much involved in the areas of family and women in her own city, defending the safety and well-being of women, children and families.

Hilde Zach was also elected a member of the board of the Austrian Association of Cities, one of CEMR's member associations. In 2008, she was elected Vice-President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, where she had previously held the function of chairwoman of the Committee on Culture and Education.

On 8 March, Christine Oppitz-Plörer was elected by the city council to take over Hilde Zach's position as mayor of Innsbruck. The next municipal elections are to be held in 2012.