Behind newcomers

Bures leads the Vienna SPÖ into the National Council elections

The Second President of the National Council Doris Bures and the Mayor of Vienna Michael Ludwig(Bild: APA/HANS KLAUS TECHT)

The Vienna SPÖ will be led into the National Council elections by the Second President of the National Council, Doris Bures. This was announced by Mayor Michael Ludwig (SPÖ) at a press conference on Monday. New members of the National Council will be the head of the private employees' union Barbara Teiber and Education Director Heinrich Himmer. Five years ago, the then federal party leader Pamela Rendi-Wagner was at the top of the state list.

The mayor emphasized that great importance had been attached to gender balance, including a zipper system on the state list. Migration groups had also been specifically taken into account.

The Second President of the National Council Doris Bures and the Mayor of Vienna Michael Ludwig(Bild: APA/HANS KLAUS TECHT)

Bures: "The Viennese way would be good for the country"
Ludwig was delighted that Bures, who had proven herself over decades in a wide variety of functions, was prepared to take on the task. The Second President leads all surveys in terms of credibility and trust. The honoree emphasized that the aim was to implement the creative will that Vienna stands for at federal level: "A little more of the Viennese way would do the country good."

The second and third places go to parliamentary newcomers. Himmer is running behind Bures. She is followed by Teiber, with whom the GPA should once again be represented in the National Council for the first time since the current ÖGB President Wolfgang Katzian.

Teiber wants to continue to focus on education policy
Teiber emphasized that he wanted to focus primarily on social issues. These range from affordable housing to secure pensions. For Himmer, the new task means continuing to devote himself to education policy. On Monday, for example, he promoted all-day schooling. Himmer will continue in his position as Director of Education until the National Council elections. Jan Krainer, fourth on the state list, also has a good chance of being re-elected.

Ruth Becher, spokesperson for housing, and Andrea Kuntzl, spokesperson for science, will not be running for re-election, the latter having entered via the state list and the former via the de facto fixed mandate in the Floridsdorf/Donaustadt constituency. This will now go to the current member of state parliament Pia Maria Wieninger.

Despite the Schrebergarten affair, Petra Bayr from Favoriten will return to the National Council, leading her constituency ahead of Himmer from Simmering. The latter replaces Harald Troch, who was no longer nominated by the district party.

Ludwig's goal was for the SPÖ to once again be the strongest party in the federal capital: "We want to show that we can do better," said the city leader, also emphasizing his will to shape the federal government.