Provocative program

Will the Turkish party move into the town hall next year?

This is how the SÖZ party would like Favoritner Strasse to be during Ramadan.(Bild: Facebook/SÖZ)

Ramadan decorations, bathing days for women, driving test in Turkish: the program of the SÖZ (seven district councils) has it all

There was a great deal of excitement when it was recently announced that an Islamic party had been founded in Wiener Neustadt (Lower Austria), which intends to run in the national elections in the fall of 2024. Islamic parties are now on the rise throughout Europe. Would such a movement also be successful in Vienna? In the 2025 Vienna elections, for example?

Nine years ago, the "Gemeinsam für Wien" (GfW) list tried to enter city hall. However, the Turkish party failed miserably at the time, achieving just 0.91% of the votes cast. The immigrant party therefore quickly disappeared into oblivion again.

Following a food scandal, the SÖZ campaigned for kebab stores.(Bild: Facebook/SÖZ)

Subsequently, however, the group "SÖZ - Sozial & Ökologisch" was formed. The party won 1.20 percent of the vote in the 2020 Vienna state elections. However, it did not make it onto the local council. However, with a total of seven mandataries, SÖZ was elected to six district councils. The group won two district representatives - including party chairman Hakan Gördü - in Favoriten.

SÖZ party chairman Hakan Gördü is a district councillor in Favoriten, where he campaigned for "appropriate decorations" to be installed on the streets of Favoriten during Ramadan.(Bild: SÖZ / OTS)

Since then, it has attracted attention there several times with controversial demands: for example, a Ramadan decoration in the 10th district and separate "women's bathing days" in the Amalienbad.

The proposals always caused great resentment and irritation among the population. They also campaigned for a driving test in Turkish. Will the political platform run again next year? SÖZ has not responded to an inquiry from the "Krone" newspaper. So it remains exciting.