"Dear Carinthians ..."

Carinthia: State leader Kaiser resigns from SPÖ chairmanship

Peter Kaiser is stepping down from his post as Carinthia's SPÖ provincial chairman in September.(Bild: APA/GERD EGGENBERGER)

Carinthian Governor Peter Kaiser (SPÖ) will step down as head of the SPÖ provincial party at the upcoming party conference at the end of September. This has been clear since Wednesday. 

Kaiser's message in the wording: 

Dear Carinthians,
dear friends,
As you may have gathered from various media reports, the SPÖ Carinthia party conference will take place in the fall, on September 20 to be precise. Since there has been a lot of media speculation about me as party chairman, about possible successors and about a possible new candidacy by me for the office of chairman of the SPÖ Carinthia, I would like to clarify the situation:
I have had the honorable privilege of holding the office of chairman of the SPÖ Carinthia for 15 years now and have lived it with every fiber of my heart.
This time has been characterized by challenges, successes, changes - and above all by a passionate commitment to our Carinthia and to our social democracy.
I would like to inform you today that I will no longer be standing for the chairmanship of the SPÖ Carinthia at the upcoming party conference in September. After 15 years at the head of this proud party, it is time to place this responsible, challenging and equally beautiful task in younger hands.
It has been a pleasure and a great personal fulfillment for me to be able to exercise this function - together with a team that has always stuck together, that has fought and shaped, that has worked successfully for our country and our party.
I thank you all from the bottom of my heart for your trust, your support and your tireless commitment.
My decision relates exclusively to the party chairmanship. As governor, I will continue to work with full commitment for Carinthia and its people. Because our goal remains to make this state socially just, economically strong and worth living in for all generations.
Dear friends, the Social Democrats in Carinthia have a strong foundation. I am convinced that our common path will continue successfully - with fresh energy, new ideas and the proven strength of our movement.
Thank you for everything and I look forward to continuing to work together for Carinthia and its people!

The move had been on the cards for some time after Kaiser announced that he would no longer be standing in the upcoming regional elections in 2028 - but the decision was finalized on Wednesday, confirmed SPÖ regional manager Andreas Sucher.

"Krone" interview with Carinthian governor 
Just recently, "Krone" editor Conny Bischofberger asked the Carinthian governor for a personal interview. The occasion was the terrorist attack in Villach. Kaiser's handover of the party presidency was already a topic in the interview. 

I will do everything I can to prepare a proper handover to younger hands, minds and hearts. I won't wait for someone to come along and say: "Dude, get out of here!"

Nach mehr als 50 Jahren Politik bereitet Kärntens Landeshauptmann Peter Kaiser (SPÖ) seinen Abschied vor

Successor to be determined only at party conference
"Who will succeed me as party chairman will only be determined at the party conference on September 20," Sucher explained on Wednesday. There is a deadline until the end of August by which candidates for the position must announce their candidacy.

However: "If someone announces at the party conference that they want to stand for election, this is also possible - but they will then need a two-thirds majority to be admitted to the election," Sucher said.

Unclear until when Kaiser will remain governor
It is still completely unclear until when Kaiser will remain governor. Sucher: "He has said that he will stand for election until the end of the term." However, "the party will then be the decisive body".

Carinthia firmly back in red hands since 2013 
Kaiser has been provincial party chairman of the Carinthian SPÖ since 2010. In 2013, he made the leap to the provincial governor's seat, in 2018 the SPÖ became the party with the most votes with gains and in 2023 with significant losses. For some time now, several names have been doing the rounds in the mystery surrounding Kaiser's successor - the most frequently mentioned recently are Carinthian provincial councillor Daniel Fellner or the deputy SPÖ party leader in the National Council, Philip Kucher.