2023-05-29 04:05:44
Where Sebastian Kurz was first elected ÖVP chairman in 2017, it will be decided on Saturday who will lead the SPÖ in the future. The Linz Design Center is the venue for an SPÖ federal party conference, at which Hans Peter Doskozil and Andreas Babler face the verdict of 609 delegates. Both will have the chance to present their ideas.
The design of the party congress is tailored to the two opponents. After the welcome by host Klaus Luger, Mayor of Linz and supporter of Doskozil, the party congress is constituted and the two candidates are presented. Details are not yet available, but a debate is planned followingwards.
It can be assumed that the supporters will use this to call for the vote of the respective favourite. It’s not just regarding the party chairmanship, but also regarding the top candidate for the National Council elections, which are to take place next year. Incidentally, incumbent Pamela Rendi-Wagner will not be seen off in Linz. She refuses to participate. Official reason: The new chairman should be the focus of the party conference.
After the announcement of the election results, he will also take the stage and say the closing words before the party congress ends as usual with “Labour Song” and “International”.
It is difficult to foresee who the delegates have decided on beforehand. At least on paper, Doskozil, who is more or less openly supported by six state parties, is given slightly better chances. However, even in his camp there are fears that Babler, who tends to make emotional to pathetic speeches, might still persuade one or the other at the party congress to rethink.
The Traiskirchener, who has been staging himself as a grassroots candidate for weeks, has as an atout the fact that the establishment party par excellence, the Viennese SPÖ, has more or less adopted him following Rendi-Wagner’s withdrawal. It represents the largest group of delegates. On the other hand, Doskozil will probably get the majority of the votes from Babler’s homeland, namely Lower Austria. He can rely almost 100 percent on the delegates from Burgenland and the Styrians should also clearly lean towards him.
Ultimately, the voting behavior of trade unionists might be decisive. While the majority of the women’s organization, which is also strongly represented, will probably vote for Babler, the trade unionists are likely to be closer to each other. Doskozil should win a relevant part of them if he wants to win.
In any case, one thing is certain. The result of Kurz in 2017 will not be topped. In Linz, he was elected chairman of the ÖVP by 98.7 percent of the delegates – albeit unopposed. Incidentally, the federal SPÖ last held a party conference in the Design Center in 2008. In 2008, Werner Faymann was voted party chairman for the first time with 98.4 percent.
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