"A fresh start with Philip"

Benko hunting affair: 100 percent for new SPÖ leader

Philip Wohlgemuth is the new head of the SPÖ in Tyrol(Bild: Christof Birbaumer)

Following the resignation of Georg Dornauer due to a hunting trip, the Tyrolean SPÖ made an important decision on Monday evening. The designated executive chairman Philip Wohlgemuth was unanimously appointed deputy governor with effect from December 19.

Before the meeting, federal party leader Andreas Babler was looking forward to the "new beginning with Philip".

Dornauer surprisingly appeared at the meeting of the non-media committee with around 80 members - shortly before the start, when Babler, Wohlgemuth and Co. were already in the hall of an Innsbruck event center.

Dornauer had not been expected to attend in advance. "Today is the provincial party council," said the 41-year-old when asked why he was attending the meeting. This was followed by a brief shake-hand with the other leading party members in the hall. Dornauer then left the red assembly before Wohlgemuth was elected.

Georg Dornauer also came to the meeting unexpectedly.(Bild: Christof Birbaumer)

Red fuel still available
Dornauer's obvious plans, which he reportedly also formulated at the meeting, could still provide red fuel. The 41-year-old is said to have made it unmistakably clear that he would make his federal presidency seat available to Wohlgemuth, but that he intends to remain on the federal party executive for the time being - until the next ordinary federal party conference.

Only a party conference can change such an appointment. Dornauer is apparently also reluctant to step down as district party chairman of the largest SPÖ district, Innsbruck-Land. Instead, he is planning a "conference" there for spring next year. In the party, however, an orderly handover of all Dornauer's functions was still assumed.

New SPÖ leader hopes for "unity"
Wohlgemuth explained that he hoped that the "unity" of the party would now be conveyed to the outside world. The talks of the past few days had given him "a lot of strength". Whether Dornauer should also step down as district party chairman of the largest SPÖ district, Innsbruck-Land, was something the now top Tyrolean Red Party leader did not want to answer for the time being.

Dornauer had stumbled across a hunting trip with the insolvent Signa founder Benko and a Tyrolean hotelier friend. After a photo of the outing was published, he "stepped aside".