In the afternoon, Schramböck was with the ÖVP state party executive in Tyrol. During these hours, speculation about her resignation had intensified. Schramböck said in the video that she was proud of the results of her department and cited chip and pharmaceutical production as well as the existence of local companies in the CoV crisis as examples. Like Köstinger, she thanked ex-Chancellor Sebastian Kurz and Chancellor Karl Nehammer (both ÖVP) when she resigned on Monday. “It was an honor for me to work for Austria and I thank you for the trust,” said Schramböck.
After almost five years in politics, she is resigning as Economics and Digital Minister, Schramböck said on various social networks. She once again listed the projects she had implemented and summed it up: “I have never regretted this step.” According to Schramböck, Austria is a solid business location, and she also thanked her government colleagues, social partners and state governors.
In the run-up to the party congress, rumors about possible departures from the ÖVP were increasing. In addition to ÖVP General Secretary Laura Sachslehner, Schramböck was also mentioned several times as a replacement candidate. But there have been rumors about them in recent years, at least since the presentation of the flopped “Kaufhaus Österreich” in November 2020. However, the ÖVP had rejected such speculation on May 3rd. These are “absurd and completely out of thin air,” says Sachslehner.
Analysis by Hans Bürger
Hans Bürger (ORF) on resignations and effects within the ÖVP and the government.
Köstinger goes after “transition phase”
Köstinger announced her resignation in a press conference this morning. With the resignation of ex-Chancellor Kurz, she also made the decision to leave politics, said Köstinger. The 43-year-old was considered a close confidant of Kurz.
Köstinger said she stayed in Nehammer’s government for a “transitional phase” and that important projects had not yet been completed. In her resignation speech, she referred to her 13-year political career and highlighted the most important projects of recent years, including the common agricultural policy, broadband expansion and pandemic management. She also mentioned the mandatory food labeling.
Change to the private sector
According to Zeit im Bild, Köstinger will switch to the private sector in the summer. According to “Krone”, Köstinger sees her most important projects in politics as completed. At the weekend, the decision to withdraw was finally made. The past five years have been the most exhausting and difficult, but also the most rewarding. Born in Carinthia, she was a member of the European Parliament, ÖVP General Secretary, 2017 short-term President of the National Council and then took over the Ministry of Agriculture.
Successor: First names are circulating
It is not clear who will succeed the two ministers. Nehammer wants to clarify Köstinger’s successor in the “coming days”, as he said in a statement to the APA. Speculations that Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner could succeed Köstinger have been dismissed. “That was never an issue.” Tanner will remain Secretary of Defense, according to the minister’s environment at the request of the APA. The Styrian MEP Simone Schmiedtbauer (ÖVP) is also a candidate – more on this in steiermark.ORF.at.
The outgoing Minister of Agriculture informed him on Monday morning that she was withdrawing from politics, said the Chancellor. According to Nehammer, who described Köstinger as a “competent agricultural politician”, he respects this wish. He called her resignation a “great loss”. Vice Chancellor Werner Kogler (Greens) described Köstinger as a “tough, competent negotiator and real fighter”.
Köstinger says goodbye to politics
Agriculture Minister Elisabeth Köstinger (ÖVP) announced the reasons for her resignation at a press conference. With the resignation of ex-Chancellor Sebastian Kurz (ÖVP), she also made the decision to leave politics, according to the ÖVP politician.
After Schramböck’s resignation, the Tyrolean state party around Governor Günther Platter (ÖVP) is likely to continue to insist on a government member from the western state, whether for the Ministry of Economics or the Ministry of Agriculture. Names such as Chamber of Agriculture President Josef Hechenberger and MEP Barbara Thaler are traded. However, the latter should tend to stay in Brussels for the time being. The selection of personnel should no longer be too large.
SPÖ, FPÖ for new elections, NEOS for reorganization
SPÖ vice club boss Jörg Leichtfried described the federal government as a “hoard of chaos, instability, lack of planning and serious mistakes” – and that “in the middle of one of the most serious economic and political crises”. FPÖ General Secretary Michael Schnedlitz called for new elections. “The ÖVP simply cannot do it. Only new elections lead to clear conditions and stability in our country.” NEOS boss Beate Meinl-Reisinger demanded an end to “show politics, which lacks a lot in terms of seriousness and depth”.