Viennese party divided

Drumbeat: SPÖ discusses bringing forward the election

Heads will be put together at Vienna City Hall on Thursday. There will also be a whole series of meetings in preparation for the government retreat with the NEOS on Friday. As the "Krone" has learned, a meeting of the executive committee has also been called at short notice. Apparently explosive issues are to be discussed - such as bringing forward the Vienna elections.

First the ÖVP's reversal regarding the negotiations with the FPÖ under Herbert Kickl. Then the secret recordings of the FPÖ regulars' table and finally the "shit paper posting" by Vienna FPÖ leader Dominik Nepp. The Vienna SPÖ around Mayor Michael Ludwig is currently experiencing a political tailwind. However, this is not the only thing fueling speculation about the possibility of bringing forward the Vienna elections, which are actually scheduled for mid-October. 

Preparations for the retreat
As the "Krone" learned, a meeting of the Vienna provincial party presidium was convened at short notice on Wednesday for Thursday. "There will be several meetings on Thursday, especially in preparation for the government retreat with the NEOS on Friday," added a member of the executive committee.

No official information about the agenda has been released. However, according to information from Krone, the Causa prima - bringing forward the election - is also likely to be discussed. "There have been considerations in this direction for some time. But the party is still divided. Many want to take advantage of the momentum, others prefer to vote regularly," reveals one insider. Another says: "There will certainly be preliminary discussions in the town hall. However, there will certainly only be a decision to bring forward the election once the blue-black coalition is in place." The next possible date - taking into account all deadlines - would then apparently be in May.

In any case, the government retreat with the NEOS starts this Friday, at which projects for the coming months are supposed to be discussed. Actually ...