It had been a given for a few days that the 63-year-old former State Secretary and current foreign policy spokesman would lead the ÖVP into the election in June. The other places on the list were not the subject of the board’s discussion on Monday. They should be fixed at a later date, the ÖVP said in response to an APA request.
Lopatka himself did not take part in the meeting at the Political Academy (Polak) in Vienna, but is currently in Brussels. “I am pleased that the federal executive committee of the People’s Party accepted my proposal this morning and unanimously decided on the top candidate for the EU elections,” said Chancellor and ÖVP federal party chairman Karl Nehammer in a broadcast.
“As the top candidate, Reinhold Lopatka will lead the People’s Party team. Reinhold Lopatka is a complete foreign policy professional with the right feel for what it takes to further strengthen Austria’s role in Europe. As Austrian head of delegation and later Vice President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, As Vice President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the OSCE, but also in many other international functions and offices, Reinhold Lopatka has acquired a comprehensive wealth of experience in foreign policy expertise.”
It’s regarding further developing Europe in a positive way, stopping “undesirable developments such as illegal migration” and “continuing to enforce Austria’s interests in Europe,” said Nehammer. ÖVP General Secretary Christian Stocker praised Lopatka as a “proven expert in international and European political affairs.” “Lopatka is the professional for Europe,” he said.
Karas is no longer running due to differences in the party leadership
The current ÖVP delegation leader in the European Parliament, Angelika Winzig, is said to have a good chance of coming second on the list behind Lopatka. According to media reports from the weekend, the two Lower Austrian EU MPs Alexander Bernhuber and Lukas Mandl as well as the new face the Tyrolean state parliament vice-president Sophia Kircher are likely to make it onto the list of candidates.
Due to differences with the party leadership, the Vice President of the EU Parliament Othmar Karas announced in October that he would no longer run. The previous Tyrolean EU parliamentarian Barbara Thaler is also no longer running; she has been president of the Tyrolean Chamber of Commerce since November. Christian Sagartz, who was re-elected as regional party chairman of the ÖVP Burgenland on Saturday, is also no longer running. The ÖVP is currently represented by seven members in the EU Parliament, but according to current surveys there are likely to be fewer following the EU elections in June.
