Chancellor in the “Krone”
Stocker: “I don’t see new elections on the horizon right now!”
Following the leadership change in the SPÖ, Federal Chancellor Christian Stocker (ÖVP) is calling for discipline from his coalition partner. In an interview with the “Krone,” he stops short of giving a clear “no” to new elections. Here’s what the chancellor has to say about his future deputy Markus Marterbauer, the launch date for the “Zukunftsdepot,” military service reform—and the 30,000-euro portrait of Wolfgang Sobotka.
Kronen Zeitung als bevorzugte Google-Quelle hinzufügen “Krone”: Mr. Chancellor, are you pleased about the turmoil in the SPÖ? For once, it’s not you who’s being criticized.
Christian Stocker: No one can take pleasure in that. It creates uncertainty—at a time when there’s already enough of it. My job is to ensure that the government’s work isn’t disrupted by this. The ‘autumn of results’ must remain an ‘autumn of results,’ no matter what personnel debates are taking place within the SPÖ.
If you were still Secretary-General: Would you recommend that your party go to the polls now?
If we look at the polls, as Secretary-General I would think very carefully about that. You wrote, after all, that we could lose three state governors or the chancellor. In fact, in the event of new elections, that “or” could very well become an “and.”
Doesn’t the public expect you to say clearly: “I don’t want new elections”?
If I wanted new elections, I could have said so. This government has a mandate: the welfare reform, the “Future Fund” for young people, and the reform partnership, which must deliver results by the end of the year that will reach the people next year.
Some in your party would like to see a coalition with the FPÖ—perhaps more than ever after this Sunday’s SPÖ results. You yourself were once sent into the race with precisely that mandate.
I learned from my experiences back then and deliberately decided otherwise. We discussed the current developments in our committees earlier this week. I didn’t hear a single voice there in favor of new elections.
One would have expected a chancellor to sit here and say: There will be no new elections. Should we read something into your evasive answer?
No. I don’t see them happening right now! For me, the question doesn’t even arise at this point. The government is functioning. I demand that the SPÖ not bring its internal party squabbles into the government. And if you look at the polls, I don’t sense much desire for new elections outside the FPÖ.
If the two of them disagree, they’ll have to work it out among themselves.
Stocker zu Babler und Marterbauer
Are you concerned that a debate over the party leader could spill over into the ÖVP?
No.
Who is your point of contact now? Andreas Babler will no longer be party leader as of Thursday, but he’ll remain vice chancellor. And sitting next to him is his successor—
They’re both at the table. If the two of them disagree, they’ll have to work it out between themselves. What matters is that they’re on the same page as me. I’m very clear on this: for me, the point of contact in the SPÖ is the Vice Chancellor.
What is your impression of the future Vice Chancellor, Markus Marterbauer?
A pragmatic and results-oriented Finance Minister with whom cooperation has been smooth so far. A trustworthy person you can count on.
According to his own statements, Babler intends to remain Minister of Media. Do you support that?
That’s a decision the SPÖ has to make.
Marterbauer is also the biggest critic of your “Future Fund.” Are the chances of it happening now slipping?
I’ll tell you this: The “Future Fund” is coming.
On January 1?
That’s the plan. I’m not committing to whether it will be January 1, January 15, or February 1.
Will there be some kind of “Big Bang” this fall?
“Big Bang” sounds like a huge explosion. I don’t expect that, nor am I aiming for it. The “big breakthrough” has been with me ever since I became Chancellor. But I don’t want to downplay what we’ve achieved so far: We’ve reached an agreement on military service reform. We very quickly passed a measure to cap fuel prices, which has earned us more praise abroad than at home. We’re working on social welfare reform and a ban on political Islam. That’s no small feat. And we need to do more to boost the business climate, especially when it comes to investment incentives. The economic recovery hasn’t arrived yet; energy prices have set us back.
With the FPÖ and the Greens, a two-thirds majority for military reform is not in sight. If necessary, will you pass only the part that doesn’t require a two-thirds majority?
That would merely extend military service without resolving the issue of alternative service. That’s unthinkable. Too many people would then opt for civilian service, and military service wouldn’t be strengthened. I’m hoping for a solution in Parliament. It’s also the opposition’s responsibility not just to engage in party politics, but to do something for the country.
Commission President von der Leyen could overtake you on the social media ban. European, Austrian, or both?
We’re providing an Austrian solution. If there’s a European one that aligns with it, so be it. In any case, at next week’s Council meeting in Brussels, I will strongly remind the Commission President that she promised me she would submit a proposal by the end of the year that would eliminate the Austrian surcharge.
Will the VAT reduction on food simply continue?
Yes, this is a permanent tax cut. Inflation is currently trending upward rather than downward due to energy prices. I would be very cautious about letting inflation-dampening measures expire.
The first fines have been issued for violating the headscarf ban in schools. Will it hold up in the Supreme Court?
We’ll have to wait for the Constitutional Court’s decision. We’ve tried to address the concerns raised in the earlier ruling. We’ve banned the headscarf for girls under 14. That’s a matter of self-determination. I’ve often been accused of engaging in symbolic politics. That may be true, but I don’t see it that way. Yet even in politics, symbols are sometimes important—to make visible how we want to shape our society.
Federal President Van der Bellen spoke in New York about Israel’s war crimes. Were you informed in advance?
No. We stand firmly on the ground of international law and have always criticized violations of international law. However, it is up to the courts to determine whether a war crime has been committed.
According to a report by the public prosecutor’s office, the late department head Christian Pilnacek is said to have advised ÖVP politicians. As a lawyer, doesn’t that raise red flags for you?
I’m aware of the media coverage, but I haven’t seen the report itself. That’s for the investigative committee to clarify. Whether it happened that way or not will become clear during the hearings.
Vienna wants to abolish non-executive city councilors, which requires a two-thirds majority in the National Council. Why aren’t you helping?
Not everything that requires atwo-thirds majorityneeds to be done. I’d prefer that the two-thirds issue regarding military service be resolved.
The “reform partnership” is a strong contender for “Word of the Year.” How will people feel the effects of this in 2027?
That administrative procedures will become simpler and that, as citizens, they won’t have to constantly resubmit documents to every agency. That we’ll reduce grid costs by 4.1 billion euros by 2040. That medical test results won’t have to be repeated at every doctor’s office but will be digitally accessible to everyone. And that there will be standards in early childhood education that apply throughout Austria. The steering committee met yesterday; we aim to submit the legislative texts by the end of the year.
You promoted the fuel price cap on Instagram in a rather flippant way with a photo of yourself wearing sunglasses. Are you being pushed into doing that?
Neither one nor the other. But if there’s an idea I find original and creative, we shouldn’t become completely humorless in politics either.
Do you know how much your most expensive photo costs?
No, but it’s certainly not expensive.
Your fellow countryman Wolfgang Sobotka is getting a portrait in Parliament for 30,000 euros. What do you think of that?
Well, you have to become Speaker of Parliament to get that.
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