SPÖ leader Pamela Rendi-Wagner will convene a special party presidium next week at the latest to discuss “all the open questions” following the Carinthian election internally – including the question of an early party congress. Monday in the “ZiB2” Rendi-Wagner made it clear that from her point of view the “interfering fire” from Burgenland is the SPÖ’s big problem – and she is not thinking of resigning, but is determined to run as a top candidate.
She would also face a fight vote, “why not, yes,” emphasized the party leader. Whether there should be the early party congress demanded by the Socialist Youth will be discussed in the Presidium. This also requires a majority in the committees. “Those who say they can do better” should finally say openly whether they want to take responsibility and become party leaders or not. “So far there are no candidates,” Rendi-Wagner stated – and openly criticized the Burgenland governor Hans Peter Doskozil.
“Just always shooting out from behind the curtain or out of the hedge weakens the party, and we can see that in the polls,” she said, referring to the personnel debate that had been fueled for years. What suggestions are currently being made – bringing the best experts together, working out solutions, etc. – “it doesn’t matter as long as we as social democrats don’t manage not to discuss publicly and stand behind the measures together” on the questions of inflation, energy crisis or the climate crisis. “Those who don’t have the will to work together with the party to achieve success are to blame for election losses and poor poll numbers,” Rendi-Wagner rejected any debate regarding poor communication, personal mistakes or the occupation of party headquarters. The party leader “can’t be a dictator,” she can’t ban speaking, and she can’t force anyone to work together to achieve success – and the latter “hasn’t happened for years.” In the summer, when there were no “interfering fires”, a potential of 30 percent might be exploited – this shows that the topics and the communication are absolutely right.
She will “not simply hand over the responsibility that she – unlike the Burgenland governor – took on in a difficult time for the SPÖ, but will keep it even in difficult times”. And she was “also ready to run as a top candidate,” Rendi-Wagner clarified that it was up to the delegates to decide whether she would. The danger that she, like Christian Kern in 2018, will give up because she is fed up – as is always speculated – “does not exist”, answered the SPÖ boss, “I don’t think regarding it for a second”.
