Austria
SPÖ elects Doskozil as the new party leader
The new SPÖ boss Hans Peter Doskozil got 53 percent of the votes. photo
© Georg Hochmuth/APA/dpa
Is this the start? The Social Democrats in Austria elect a new boss. Hans Peter Doskozil narrowly wins – with a self-critical speech.
The future leader of the Austrian Social Democrats will be 52-year-old Hans Peter Doskozil. The former Minister of Defense and Prime Minister of Burgenland received 53 percent of the votes of around 600 delegates at an extraordinary SPÖ federal party conference in Linz on Saturday.
Doskozil prevailed against the mayor of Traiskirchen, Andreas Babler, and another competitor. Doskozil, known for his course critical of migration and his active social policy at state level, succeeds Pamela Rendi-Wagner. The 52-year-old doctor came in behind Doskozil and Babler in a member survey on the question of leadership and announced her withdrawal from politics.
Doskozil focuses on being close to the people
The new party leader received a lot of applause for his thoughtful and self-critical candidate speech. He criticized that the SPÖ and its functionaries had lost their closeness to the people. “Perhaps we have forgotten how to serve the interests of the population.” The SPÖ have made themselves comfortable in coalitions in terms of power politics instead of pushing for the implementation of their election goals. These included a fair minimum wage and better medical care for everyone.
Doskozil demonstratively announced a law banning party donations in Burgenland. Party donations – not least to the ruling conservative ÖVP – repeatedly play an important role in the domestic political debate in Austria.
Multiple surgeries
Doskozil’s voice, which sounds hoarse after several larynx operations, repeatedly leads to debates as to whether he is well prepared for a top political office. He assured delegates that his health problem will not prevent him from leading the party. “The voice will not be lost,” even if he cannot rule out further operations.
Babler, representative of the party’s left wing, called for a new unity after a phase of quarrels and announced an “incredible comeback” by the SPÖ. The SPÖ must fight side by side with the unions, among other things, for better wages, said Babler. The role of a “supplicant” must be overcome. The local politician had previously called for a 32-hour week with full wage compensation.
The remarkable 47 percent of the votes for the extreme left camp represented by Babler also raise questions about the unity of the party. “Doskozil must immediately avert the danger of part of the left wing emigrating,” said political advisor Thomas Hofer.
In the medium term, the politician, who is also recognized in other electoral groups, has the chance to win back votes from the ÖVP and FPÖ camp – also thanks to his populist nature .
The party congress should be the end of a long internal party discussion about the leadership qualities of the previous chairmen Rendi-Wagner. The SPÖ comes to about 23 percent in the current polls. According to pollsters, the right-wing FPÖ is ahead with around 28 percent, while experts see the conservative party ÖVP, which governs together with the Greens, at around 21 percent. The regular date for the next National Council election is autumn 2024.