On Thursday, the Presidium paved the way for a survey in which every full member can both vote and run for the post of boss. In any case, “a few hundred” applications had been received in the past few days, according to the party on the APA on Thursday – including the writer Robert Menasse.
From April 24th to May 10th, SPÖ members can vote on the party leadership. The final decision is to be made at a special party conference on June 3rd. This was preceded by long-standing disputes between party leader Pamela Rendi-Wagner and Burgenland’s governor Hans Peter Doskozil. The situation finally escalated after the SPÖ lost votes in the Carinthian state elections.
Any party member may compete
At a presidium meeting on Wednesday, the SPÖ agreed that every party member could take part in the survey. A party function is not necessary for this. You have until Friday to enter and then to stand for election or vote yourself. In addition to Rendi-Wagner and Doskozil, the Viennese district functionary Nikolaus Kowall and two other candidates from Burgenland and Lower Austria are currently running.
Persons who are registered as members in the person system by Friday, 11:59 p.m. are entitled to vote. Anyone who registers online is not automatically an SPÖ member. The data is forwarded to the federal states and processed there, where the entry in the personal system is also processed. Only then is the person considered a member. The national organizations should ensure that the registrations are entered into the personal system by Friday at the latest. With a monthly membership fee of 6.50, there shouldn’t be any major financial hurdles.
A few well-known names were already among the new SPÖ members. Writer Robert Menasse wrote on Facebook: “I can no longer watch the infirmity and slow death of a party to which we historically owe so much. I was a member of the SPÖ for years and eventually left out of frustration.” He was relieved that Kowall “jumped onto the stage,” he said in an interview with APA.
Peter Kaiser was not present
Carinthian governor Peter Kaiser did not appear at the presidium on Wednesday due to the coalition negotiations there with the ÖVP. With yesterday’s decision on the formalities, “the way is clear for everyone and there is no need to prolong the public debate,” he said, but via a spokesman. Rather, “calm and prudence within the party” should return until the decisive party conference.
According to Kaiser, “everyone in the SPÖ should now remember to properly blow the social democratic march on the federal government, which has so far been unable to work out solutions for millions of Austrians who are struggling to be able to afford to live and live.” .
Party chairmanship candidate Doskozil let the results of yesterday’s presidency “sink” on Thursday, as he said immediately afterwards. There was no further statement from his office on APA request. Reference was made to the next meetings on Monday.
