Politics
It is apparently a year of political retreats – after several personnel changes at federal and state level, there is now a change at the top of the SPÖ in Graz: Michael Ehmann wants to retire as party chairman this year.
The 47-year-old confirmed on Sunday that he would not be available as head of the SPÖ in Graz for much longer – but stressed that he had always communicated this – also to the KPÖ and the Greens, with whom the SPÖ in Graz was in a three-party coalition says: “As I said from the beginning, I am preparing my withdrawal – first the managerial handover of the party, no longer appearing at the party congress and then the preparation of the handover of the club leadership and then the final retreat.”
“I will become more involved in the union”
The handover of the party chairmanship is to take place in the fall – according to Ehmann, in order to give the managing successor the opportunity to familiarize himself with the party conference next year. However, Ehmann keeps a low profile on possible candidates.
He himself will no longer appear at the party congress, but will make preparations until then so that he can then hand over the leadership of the club. Regarding his own future, Ehmann says: “Personally, I have a day job that takes place in the social security sector, which I will of course continue to pursue and I will be more involved in trade unions in the future.”
Historical Losses
The SPÖ Graz is once again looking for representatives. Ehmann only took over the office in 2016 after Martina Schröck resigned – as the top candidate in the Graz elections in 2017 and 2021, however, he made historic losses and recently even fell below ten percent with his party.