Interview with SPÖ leader

For Babler, Gusenbauer is a “loose cannon”

SPÖ leader Andreas Babler(Bild: Martin Jöchl)

After quarrels in his own party, Andreas Babler goes on the offensive. In an exclusive interview with Conny Bischofberger, the SPÖ chairman - alluding to the Burgenland governor Hans Peter Doskozil - talks about "bruised egos" whose sensitivities he does not want to concern himself with. He dismissed rumors about possible successors as "absolute nonsense".

The interview also dealt with former Chancellor Alfred Gusenbauer, who charged René Benko's "Signa-Holding" millions in fees, but had ruled out leaving the party for himself.

The big interview

... with Andreas Babler can be read from Sunday morning - here on Krone+.

SPÖ leader Babler said: "Under my party leadership, Alfred Gusenbauer is a carte blanche in the SPÖ. He pays his membership fee, he is free to do so. And that's how I see it."

Former Federal Chancellor Alfred Gusenbauer with real estate juggler René Benko(Bild: Karl Schöndorfer TOPPRESS Austria)

It is good that the party chairman cannot arbitrarily exclude people, but follows democratic rules.

New era in the SPÖ 
When asked whether it was damaging to the party if he, Babler, spoke of immoral concentration of wealth and a really prominent member raked in millions, Babler explained.

SPÖ leader Babler settles accounts with Gusenbauer.(Bild: Martin Jöchl)

Babler continues: "I would say that it mainly harms Gusenbauer himself. Not the party. It deliberately chose me as its new chairman in order to usher in a new era. There are no Gusenbauers in key positions in this era."