What does the Vienna SPÖ still want?

The biggest enemy of the federal SPÖ under the leadership of Vice Chancellor Andreas Babler? One might think it's the comrades around Mayor Michael Ludwig in Vienna: While Babler and company, hoping to finally score points with the people, have just put together a relief or bureaucracy reduction package, they are letting another wave of burdens sweep through the federal capital. It includes new fee increases: The dog tax will in the future amount to up to 120 euros, the annual library card up to 45 euros. This is much more than before (72.67 and 36 euros, respectively). 

They presented the first wave of burdens at the beginning of September. At that time, they announced that the annual ticket for the Wiener Linien would no longer cost 365 euros, but 467 euros. This was also to the immediate detriment of Babler and company: They had just been trying to counter the massive price increases in the country. So, to achieve the exact opposite.

All of this affects not only the federal SPÖ but especially the citizens of the city, who are forced to pay, and indeed the Viennese SPÖ itself and Michael Ludwig personally.

To start with him: His credibility is damaged. Before the municipal council election in April, he kept the true budget situation secret. Just as former Chancellor Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) did before the national council election last year at the federal level: He said no austerity package was necessary. 

Ludwig promised in Vienna that the price for the annual ticket of the Wiener Linien would continue to be 365 euros. After all, it was about climate protection and social justice, he explained. The result is known. Little remains of it.

This is a problem for social democracy in the federal capital as a whole. In addition to fee increases, it is also making cuts. And precisely in areas that have been very, very important to it so far: For example, in addiction and drug help or in minimum security. 

Unlike populists, it does not do this loudly and visibly to show that it is tough on refugees, so that hopefully no one else wants to come to Austria. In essence, however, it contradicts what it has stood for so far, namely that everyone who needs support is properly helped; including foreigners.

It must already ask itself what its previous principles are still worth to it. And what it still stands for - indeed, whether it even wants anything beyond mere retention of power that distinguishes it content-wise from other parties. 

Johannes Huber runs the blog dieSubstanz.at – Analyses and Backgrounds on Politics

This article has been automatically translated, read the original article here.