Lower Austria candidate list

SPÖ serves up “mixed set” for parliament

A mix of experience and renewal - this is how the SPÖ in Lower Austria sees its list of candidates for the upcoming National Council elections. But will the selection live up to this claim?

The Social Democrats in Lower Austria are once again entering the National Council election campaign with a trade unionist at the helm. As five years ago, Rudolf Silvan, the regional managing director of the Bau-Holz trade union, is leading the red candidates. He was appointed to this position by the party council with 97.5 percent approval.

Rudolf Silvan once again leads the ranks of red candidates for the National Council from Lower Austria(Bild: Parlament)

Few newcomers in the top places
Silvia Kumpan-Takacs, who is the women's chairwoman of the Bruck an der Leitha district, takes second place. In third place is Robert Laimer, the St. Pölten native is the SPÖ's defense spokesperson in parliament. He is followed by National Councillors Petra Tanzler, Melanie Erasim and Alois Schroll as well as Member of Parliament Wolfgang Kocevar. The bottom line is that there are only two non-parliamentarians on the first seven places on the red list of candidates - the "mixed set" propagated by the St. Pölten party headquarters therefore has a certain "tasteful" overhang.  

Names that are missing
Not to be found on the Lower Austrian list, however, is party leader Andreas Babler. The mayor of Traiskirchen is running on the federal list. Katharina Kucharowits from Schwechat is withdrawing from parliament. And one more name is missing: Andreas Kollross. The mayor of Trumau made a name for himself with a sexist post. He is swapping his seat in the National Council for a place at the head of the SPÖ Association of Municipal Representatives in Lower Austria.