SPÖ Leader on the Talk Show

Babler: “ORF Salaries Have Gotten Out of Hand”

SPÖ leader Andreas Babler on “What Now? The ‘Krone’ Summer Talks” with Christian Nusser and Katia Wagner(Bild: Krone-Collage/Imre Antal)

He says the polls are “painful,” but he doesn’t want to step down. He believes salaries at ORF have “gotten out of hand.” On “What Now? The ‘Krone’ Summer Talks,” Vice Chancellor Andreas Babler also surprises viewers with his own political self-assessment: Is he perhaps not a leftist...?

The Tulln Gardens in Lower Austria. The light drizzle—which is actually a blessing this summer—doesn’t seem to rattle Vice Chancellor Andreas Babler during his meeting with “Krone” political editor Christian Nusser and krone.tv host Katia Wagner. One or two of their interview questions, however, certainly do.

Tune in!

• You can watch the latest interview with Vice Chancellor Andreas Babler above and at 10:00 p.m. on krone.tv.
• The next episode of “What Now? The ‘Krone’ Summer Interviews” with Katia Wagner and Christian Nusser airs on Sunday, August 30. The guest will be Federal Chancellor Christian Stocker (ÖVP).

Former Marxist—not even left-wing anymore?
Just a few years ago, Andreas Babler stated clearly: “I am a Marxist.” In the major “Krone” Summer Interview, the now Vice-Chancellor finds it considerablymoredifficult to define his own political stance. When Christian Nusser asks whether he is on the left, he refuses to answer outright and resorts to a general definition of the term. Katia Wagner presses him: “Did I understand that correctly? You wouldn’t describe yourself as being on the left?” Babler replies: “Yes, you understood that correctly.”

“I have absolutely no desire to philosophize about this at length,” says Andreas Babler, when asked about the attacks by the SPÖ Donaustadt leader.(Bild: Imre Antal)

What Andreas Babler didn’t want to answer
Noticing the journalists’ bewildered looks, however, Babler clarified: “If being on the left means improving the realities of life, then I’m happy to be on the left.” So he is, after all.

Poor poll numbers? Babler wants to stay
There’s little room for excuses when Wagner and Nusser confront him with the fact that the poll numbers are indeed poor. “I understand that looking at the polls isn’t exactly a joy.” But: the coalition partners would also be losing, just like the major parties in Europe. Nevertheless, he wants to “stick with it, stick with it, and keep working” and regain trust through his work. Even if the party were to slip further in the polls, he would stay. “When the situation is difficult, that’s when leadership strength really shows,” says Babler.

Clear Words on the ORF
A convention on the future of theORFwill take place in mid-September; Media Minister Babler has convened it. “It’s about a major issue, so let me state clearly why this is necessary,” he says. “Public broadcasting needs legitimacy. And the second issue, which of course hangs over the ORF like the Sword of Damocles: If we have to work through a budget deficit like the one we’re facing now—and we all have to cut costs—then the ORF must cut costs too.”

When it comes to ORF salaries, the media minister sees “some things out of whack. It’s something I don’t understand in the private sector. Top managers at ATX-listed companies earn 83 times the average salary, whereas 20 years ago it was only about 20 times. Of course, this also means that we may need to limit that somewhat in the future.”

SPÖ Chairman Andreas Babler on “What Now? The ‘Krone’ Summer Talks” with Christian Nusser and Katia Wagner(Bild: Imre Antal)

What Andreas Babler spends his money on
The SPÖ leader earns 20,979 euros gross per month. Does he consider that an appropriate amount? “It’s enough that you don’t have to worry about making ends meet.” He spends his money primarily on his children and renovating his house. Babler emphasizes, however, that he has also had to fight “for every single euro” at some point in his life. As mayor, he used to donate his secondary income from his Federal Council seat to Volkshilfe. As vice chancellor, he no longer donates his salary.