Babler Nominated Again as SPÖ Leader

The next step is a four-week phase starting today, during which opponents can qualify for a grassroots survey by submitting 1,500 declarations of support from party members. If no one achieves or wants this, Babler will be elected by the party congress. This will take place in the first half of 2026, as announced by federal manager Klaus Seltenheim.

Unanimity in the SPÖ Executive Board

The last party congress took place in November 2023, meaning the next one is to be held in the coming year. The reason for scheduling it early in the year is, among other things, to avoid clashing with state party congresses. Early March is under discussion, but Seltenheim did not mention a specific date in a press conference.

In any case, the board unanimously determined Babler as the candidate again. However, it is reported that not even half of the members of the committee were present, which led to a brief discussion about whether the corresponding decision is valid at all. Nevertheless, Seltenheim considered the vote a strong signal. It has long been fixed that on October 18 in Vienna, a "small party congress," a so-called thematic council, will take place, focusing on the area of housing.

Pension Adjustment as a Topic

The second main topic of today's committee meetings was the pension adjustment for 2026, which is rejected by the party's own senior representation because not everyone is compensated for inflation. While the few public statements from Babler downwards reported constructive discussions and a good atmosphere, others spoke behind closed doors of numerous critical comments in the board meeting.

Criticism of the agreement was first expressed in Burgenland. On the sidelines of a press conference in Stegersbach, Governor Hans Peter Doskozil called the federal SPÖ's approval of the pension adjustment a mistake - as well as generally entering into a coalition with ÖVP and NEOS. Now what he had warned about has happened: The SPÖ has become the "stepping stone" for the ÖVP.

The forces around Babler are responsible for this decision. "In the past, we have already taken on a role where we wanted to wake up social democracy and take a different path. But that was not wanted," emphasized Doskozil, who was defeated by Babler in a leadership contest in 2023.

The line of the federal party was to emphasize that without the SPÖ, the situation with pensions would have been much worse, as argued by Babler and Carinthia's Governor Peter Kaiser.

"2.7 - That's How It's Written"

The SPÖ Pensioners' Association held a small protest rally at noon, parallel to the committee meetings, in front of the parliament to emphasize their demand for full inflation compensation for all recipients. "2.7 - That's how it's written," chanted the approximately 200 demonstrators, according to the police.

The head of the Pensioners' Association, Birgit Gerstorfer, said that 70 percent of pensioners are satisfied as they receive the full inflation adjustment. "We are here today for the remaining 30 percent." They too should receive the inflation compensation. Therefore, Gerstorfer demanded that negotiations be resumed. She also called for an end to pensioner bashing: "It cannot be that the older generation is always mentioned when it comes to budget consolidation." Seltenheim, in turn, emphasized regarding new negotiations that they were committed to resolving the tense budgetary situation.

Babler accepted the protest of his own senior organization. It is legitimate for an interest group to strive for the maximum version of their rights. SPÖ Women's Chairwoman Eva Maria Holzleitner also saw it as permissible for Gerstorfer to oppose the government agreement. For her, it is clear that the head of the pensioners should also express her views in the committees: "That is her task."

"United and Determined"

Finance Minister Markus Marterbauer (SPÖ), on the other hand, expressed surprise about the rally yesterday in the ORF discussion round "The Conversation." That the SPÖ pensioners are demonstrating against the announced pension adjustment seemed "strange" to him, said Marterbauer, "because I think it is a defensible, fair solution among social democrats in difficult times."

ÖGB President Wolfgang Katzian, the Lower Austrian state chairman Sven Hergovich, or the Tyrolean state party leader Philip Wohlgemuth did not want to comment on the sidelines of the committees. Only the Vorarlberg Mario Leiter, among the state party chairmen, spoke after the meeting. He saw a good atmosphere and constructive discussions. Everyone was pulling together. He defended the pension compromise, as did club chairman Philip Kucher, by stating that the SPÖ has a debt crisis to work through, for which others are responsible. Seltenheim also saw it this way: "The SPÖ is going into the political autumn united and determined."

The Upper Austrian SP state party leader Martin Winkler explained on Monday in ZIB2 that the pension cut is an "extremely painful story," "which the coalition partners are forcing upon us," said Winkler. "We would have preferred not to do it." In a coalition government, however, one is forced to compromise. They have inherited a "budget debacle from the previous government" and now have to "clean it up."

(APA/Red)

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