"Contract violated"

SPÖ rebel Dornauer thrown out of his own party

Georg Dornauer was expelled from the Tyrolean SPÖ.(Bild: Manuel Schwaiger)

A bang in Tyrolean politics. The SPÖ has thrown its former chairman Georg Dornauer out of the provincial parliamentary club. He had violated the self-negotiated rules.

The break between the Tyrolean SPÖ and its former chairman and deputy governor Georg Dornauer has apparently been finalized: "We have agreed with the ÖVP in our joint program 'Stability in the crisis. Renewal for Tyrol', we have defined the working methods of our coalition for successful cooperation for the benefit of the Tyrolean population. All members of parliament from the governing parties must adhere to these rules for trusting cooperation," said Elisabeth Fleischanderl, head of the Tyrolean SPÖ parliamentary group, in a press release.

"This includes our joint voting behavior on motions by the opposition and our joint approach to motions by the governing parties. Any deviation from this agreement would jeopardize important projects in our government programme," Fleischanderl is quoted as saying.

"Consequences are clear"
If a member of parliament departs from this path, they can no longer be part of the club, the chairwoman continues. Dornauer had personally negotiated and signed the rules.

Georg Dornauer was expelled from the Tyrolean SPÖ.(Bild: Manuel Schwaiger)

We may regret such a development in human terms, but there is no alternative if we are to continue our joint work for Tyrol.

Elisabeth Fleischanderl

Bild: Birbaumer Christof

"If he of all people now violates this contract for Tyrol and thereby breaks the coalition, the consequences are clear: the Tyrolean SPÖ parliamentary group will expel Georg Dornauer. We may regret such a development in human terms, but there is no alternative if we are to continue our joint work for Tyrol," concludes Fleischanderl.

Repeatedly fired against his own ranks
Dornauer had recently repeatedly "fired" against his own ranks. He repeatedly demanded, for example, that the excess profits of the state energy supplier Tiwag should be distributed among the Tyrolean population. A demand that met with little approval from Tyrolean Governor Anton Mattle and his ÖVP. Mattle is in favor of investing in the energy transition.

Last year, Dornauer had stumbled over the hunting affair with mega-banker René Benko. The formal expulsion is to be carried out at a meeting on Thursday. According to reports, internal party consultations have also taken place regarding Dornauer's possible expulsion from the party.

I will now sort this out and put it in order.

Georg Dornauer

Bild: Birbaumer Christof

Dornauer "surprised"
Dornauer himself was "surprised by this reaction". To be honest, he did not know "on what legal basis this consequence was taken". He would not say any more for the time being. He first wanted to "sort it out and classify it".