SPÖ election campaign

“No material battle” before the national election

Regional Managing Director Andreas Sucher, Women's Chairwoman and Member of the National Council Petra Oberrauner and Governor Peter Kaiser are ready for the National Council elections.

(Bild: Steiner Clara Milena)

Before the future of the Klagenfurt SPÖ is discussed in the evening, the Reds focused on the federal level on Monday morning: on a community tour with the Carinthian top candidate Philip Kucher, the comrades want to convince voters of themselves before the national election.

The Reds are now starting the national election campaign: "In 96 days, Austria will go to the ballot box", announces state governor Peter Kaiser, outlining what will happen between now and September 29 - a plan "with heart and brain" consisting of 24 points, a large-scale community tour, a short intensive election campaign in September and "no material battle", promises state managing director Andreas Sucher.

One of the core issues is asylum: "As the SPÖ, we have decided to focus on an implementable paper with the asylum master plan that addresses the most important issues." This master plan - a new edition of the migration paper drawn up by Kaiser and party colleague Hans Peter Doskozil in 2018 - was presented on Saturday. The ÖVP and FPÖ have held ministerial responsibility for home affairs, including asylum, for 24 years - so far this has not resulted in a viable concept, according to Kaiser.

Distribute refugees "fairly"
An important point is the "fair distribution of refugees in the EU, also with sanctions", emphasizes Kaiser. "This means: 75 percent fewer asylum applications in Austria within a year." Anyone who has neither asylum nor a residence permit - for example for work or education - "must be asked to leave the country quickly". Conversely, those who have a reason for fleeing should be "integrated from day one". The SPÖ's central guiding principle for integration is women's rights: there should be "no discrimination whatsoever in terms of gender, age, skin color, religion, whatever".

The declared goal for the National Council elections: "The aim must be to become as strong as possible. The optimum is first place", Kaiser confirms what party leader Andreas Babler hinted at on Ö1-Morgenjournal. Kaiser comments on whether Babler would have to resign if this goal is not achieved: "These are decisions that are made after an election."

Who will succeed Liesnig?
Personnel decisions are also at the heart of the SPÖ city party in Klagenfurt: Deputy Mayor Philipp Liesnig "took the consequences after the hotly debated chat affair, respect for that", says Kaiser on the sidelines, referring to "negotiations that are being held in the evening".