Dissenting voices remain

Another Babler critic resigns from the executive committee

Have Babler's critics gotten cold feet? Following Doskozil and Ludwig, Hergovich is also no longer running for the SPÖ presidency and executive committee.(Bild: SPÖ NÖ)

Disagreement within the SPÖ continues and is coming to a head ahead of the upcoming party conference. Lower Austria's regional chairman Sven Hergovich has decided not to run for the federal committees – i.e., the presidium and executive committee. This means that another critic of federal party leader Andreas Babler is withdrawing from key decision-making positions. However, Hergovich's successors are not necessarily considered Babler supporters either.

Vienna's mayor, Michael Ludwig, and Burgenland's governor, Hans Peter Doskozil, had already decided not to serve on the federal committees. Styria's provincial leader, Max Lercher, is also not standing for election.

Decision after defeat in St. Pölten
The federal states concerned are sending other representatives to the committees – including Hergovich, whose place is now to be taken by the third president of the state parliament, Elvira Schmidt. Rene Zonschits is replacing Sven Hergovich on the executive committee. Neither Schmidt nor Zonschits are considered Babler supporters. The decision was made at a meeting of the Lower Austrian state party after the defeat in the St. Pölten election. Hergovich's proposal was unanimously accepted.

The SPÖ party conference is scheduled for March 7 in Vienna. By February 13 at the latest, the executive committee wants to decide which key motions will be put to the vote and who will run for the presidium and executive committee. Currently, Andreas Babler is the only candidate nominated for the federal party chairmanship. However, it is possible that the executive committee will nominate another candidate.

Will Kern re-enter the ring?
Former party leader Christian Kern is considered a potential opponent. Following his hasty departure from the party leadership, there are reservations about him, particularly among the Vienna party, which has a large number of delegates, and among the trade unions. Kern's supporters, on the other hand, are mainly found in the regional parties along the southern railway line – i.e., in Lower Austria, Styria, and Carinthia – as well as in Burgenland. After the St. Pölten election, critical voices were heard even from the rather quiet western regional organizations, specifically Salzburg and Vorarlberg. Recently, calls for an opposing candidate have also grown louder within the SPÖ grassroots. "The alternative is a conceivably poor result for Babler at the party conference and continued unrest within the party," say party members.

Whether there will actually be a contested vote and who will ultimately run is likely to be decided by Friday, February 13, at the latest. The executive committee meeting taking place then is the last theoretical chance to allow a rival candidate for the party conference on March 7.