SPÖ state party chairman Franz Schnabl is going into a state election for the second time as his party’s top candidate. Schnabl was once the general inspector of the Vienna police, later a member of the board and head of HR in the Magna Group, and in 2017 he moved to the top of the SPÖ Lower Austria. He has been Deputy Governor of the State since 2018 and is therefore part of the state government.
The 64-year-old is committed to consumer protection, childcare and affordable housing. Among other things, he repeatedly calls for a legal right to childcare and free childcare in the followingnoon. Most recently, he also drew attention to a “health emergency”, for which he provided a solution in an interview with ORF-Lower Austria editor-in-chief Benedikt Fuchs. He relativizes the fact that the SPÖ has modest poll results despite campaign issues that are actually SPÖ issues.
Mr. Schnabl, there are current opinion polls in Lower Austria that see the FPÖ ahead of the SPÖ. Even if you look at various surveys in recent months, the SPÖ is not really making any headway, even though we live in times of inflation. The gap between rich and poor is widening. Does that worry you?
Franz Schnabl: I’ve seen a lot of surveys since the beginning of last year with very different results and images. I think the calculation is difficult for all institutes due to fewer eligible voters. I don’t want to imply anything, on the contrary: as Social Democrats in this electoral movement, we are out on the streets a lot with our content, with people, in discussions, at events. And the only poll that really counts at the end of the day is not a poll, but a vote – the result on January 29th.
What we really want to advance, what drives us in this electoral movement, what our feedback is, is: inflation is a topic that people are massively interested in and burdened with. But many other problems in Lower Austria have not been solved and are still waiting for solutions. People expect solutions and answers from the Social Democrats, which we have.
The top candidates in an interview
From January 16th to 20th, “Lower Austria Today” (7 p.m., ORF2-N) will feature interviews with the top candidates of the five parties represented in the state parliament
You said you want to be governor. How realistic do you think that is now?
Schnabl: Above all, the election on January 29 will bring regarding one thing: change. This is urgently needed in this country. Our point of view is: First we vote, then we count, then we negotiate. When the results of the negotiations are available, the state governor and all officials in the state are elected by the state parliament in a secret ballot.
As social democrats, we have red lines, content and programmes. After the election, we will talk to all political parties – regarding the package once morest inflation finally being implemented, regarding the free followingnoon care in the kindergarten actually being implemented in Lower Austria, regarding better funding and support for those looking for housing and the housing sector, for the Hauslbauer is actually implemented, that something is finally happening once morest the misery in the health and care sector.
The ÖVP side is currently repeatedly mentioning red and blue. The FPÖ describes climate activists as climate terrorists, demands push-backs at the borders and wants to legally change the national anthem back to the old version. Yesterday (Wednesday; note) Udo Landbauer said at this point that he wants the end of social benefits for asylum seekers. Can you sit down with a party like that?
Schnabl: I basically have difficulties with all parties that campaign with promises for which the state parliament and for which they themselves are not responsible in state politics. This begins with the tightening of criminal law in the right of assembly and extends to the area of asylum. That also means, however, that we ourselves are not making nominations for a change in the tax system, for example, as far as non-wage labor costs are concerned. We advertise, also propose and discuss programs and content for which state politics, the state, we ourselves are responsible, such as a state package once morest inflation, measures in the areas of education and childcare, finally redesigning housing subsidies and so on.
But you definitely don’t rule out working with the FPÖ?
Schnabl: Over the past five years, we have repeatedly tabled motions in the state parliament. Exactly with these examples, with the cost-of-living package, for example, there was cooperation with all parties, with the exception of the ÖVP, which supported parts or the whole package. It wasn’t just the Freedom Party, it was also the NEOS and the Greens in many points and content. The same applies to childcare. Regarding our child care program – all year round, all day, free – I can tell you the voting behavior in the state parliament: Four parties are in favor of free followingnoon care, these are the FPÖ, NEOS, the Greens and we, who proposed it.
I was just regarding to get to the subject of child care. Although you went along with this package from the previous year, you are not doing it quickly enough either; implementation is planned for 2024. But there are also very big challenges: you need 100 additional employees in the educational area, you need a lot of staff very quickly. Where is that supposed to come from?
Schnabl: At the beginning of last year, we Social Democrats proposed a very detailed program that was coordinated in terms of time, personnel and costs. To give you a very precise figure: we will need around 1,200 additional employees in the Lower Austrian kindergartens to cover this need for a nationwide, all-year-round, all-day free offer. We said the first step will cost an additional 80 million euros.
We now have an academy for elementary education. The truth is that only regarding a third actually take up a job in this field in Lower Austria following completing this training. Another part goes to other federal states or takes up a completely different profession. Of course we have to redesign and improve the general conditions, the payment, the income for this important profession of education and the future.
shipment notice
“Lower Austria today”, 19.1.2023
Topic health: In Lower Austria we have a shortage of panel doctors, which is always an issue in health circles. What concept do you have, how can this be solved?
Schnabl: I think it’s unacceptable that we have districts, such as Lilienfeld, where there isn’t a single pediatrician. I also think it is unreasonable that in the district of Korneuburg there is only one gynecologist cash position for 40,000 women. A few days ago, together with my colleague in the state government, state councilor Königsberger-Ludwig, I spoke regarding the fact that we have a health emergency in Lower Austria and that the ÖVP always makes promises before the election to try to make this health emergency – one might flippantly say now – healthy to end.
The promises from 2018 – country doctor guarantee – mean that nothing is solved at all, perhaps the election results of the ÖVP were embellished here and there in 2018. At that time we had four vacant statutory health insurance positions; today we have 31 in general practitioners and 33 in specialists. It’s actually crazy for this federal state and this number is getting bigger and bigger. Now they have a business continuation limited liability company or a new company form. Although the negotiations are finished, the contracts have not yet been signed, but not a single doctor has yet declared his willingness to work at all within the framework of this supply company. Our solutions are clear: We must increase the grants significantly. We have 20, Burgenland has 55. Comparing the numbers, we should have 300.
And what we urgently need: where there is no doctor available, the cash register must pay the fee for the doctor of choice, as examples such as Denmark show in this case how it works. E-card instead of credit card must be the motto here. People cannot be made to pay for the failings of politicians.
SPÖ top candidate Schnabl in conversation
SPÖ top candidate Franz Schnabl is this time a guest of ORF-NÖ editor-in-chief Benedikt Fuchs. Schnabl talks regarding the upcoming state elections.
You held election events both with your party leader (Pamela Rendi-Wagner; note) and with the governor of Burgenland (Hans Peter Doskozil; note). A conflict simmers between the two at the federal level. Who is the better party leader?
Schnabl: My approach is always: I look at things, where thematic solutions are possible, what suggestions we have. At state level, we look at how Peter Kaiser is doing in Carinthia, how is Hans Peter Doskozil doing in Burgenland, and how is Michael Ludwig doing in Vienna? We take solutions that can be adapted for Lower Austria. I have to say that Hans Peter Doskozil is doing a very good job as Burgenland’s governor and in many areas – in health, care, also in housing subsidies or in measures once morest inflation – things that we in Lower Austria can take as a role model .
Pamela Rendi-Wagner, who was also present at several events, is doing an excellent job as opposition leader and club chairwoman. My approach to other parties is fundamentally the same: let’s take a look and talk regarding the matter, let’s talk regarding the content and the topic, let’s have a conversation and come to a common solution.
So you’re not leaning out the window?
Schnabl: I said that I have very factual, good access to everyone I talk to within the party, but also to other parties.
