In the article body, it is discussed how the SPÖ education spokeswoman, Petra Tanzler, has made headlines for her recent statements. Tanzler had made a comment about a “belligerent leader” who “drops phosphate bombs on innocents”, which Pamela Rendi-Wagner, the SPÖ leader, condemned as “fundamentally wrong” and not the stance of social democracy. Tanzler’s comment had caused outrage from both within and outside the party, with some calling for an explanation from the absent mandataries. Tanzler later clarified her stance on Twitter, stating her condemnation of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and support for sanctions against Russia.
The SPÖ education spokeswoman is the temporary tip of the iceberg that is currently piling up in front of Pamela Rendi-Wagner. Who is the person behind the narrator of a “belligerent leader” Zelensky who “drops phosphate bombs on innocents”?
Her statement was “fundamentally wrong” and “cannot be excused”, was Pamela Rendi-Wagner’s late reaction to the events of the previous week on Tuesday in the ORF “Report”. “That is not the position of social democracy.” She meant the statement of one of her MPs in the SPÖ parliamentary club, who has so far mostly been found in the back rows of the SPÖ. However, Petra Tanzler has now achieved what she has not been able to do with her parliamentary work so far: she has been in the media limelight since Tuesday.
This has to do with her comprehensive response to a question from “Falter” in which she declared her absence from parliament last Thursday. A speech “by a belligerent head of state who conducts war propaganda, fights the unions in his country and allegedly has cluster and phosphate bombs dropped on innocent people” has “no place in a parliament of a country professing neutrality”.
The result was general outrage. Also from the red ranks. For example, ex-SPÖ head of state in Upper Austria, Josef Ackerl, has repeatedly asked the absent mandataries to explain themselves since Thursday. Ackerl wrote in a tweet that addressed the different explanations of the SPÖ mandataries: “Unfortunately, very stupid people. The general decline in staff also has something to do with the fact that many no longer want to get involved in politics. It’s crazy! “Tanzler also rowed back on Twitter on Tuesday. She condemned “Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine”. She stands by the aid to Ukraine and the sanctions against Russia.
In conclusion, Petra Tanzler’s remarks have brought attention to the internal divisions and debates within the SPÖ party. While her comments were met with criticism and condemnation, they have also highlighted the importance of careful and cohesive messaging within political parties, especially when it comes to issues of international relations and foreign policy. It remains to be seen how the SPÖ will move forward and address these divisions, but one thing is clear: this incident has revealed the complexities and challenges of navigating political discourse in our modern, interconnected world.