Babler defies scandal

“Will have a sensational result in Graz”

Andreas Babler (SPÖ) campaigning at Lendplatz in Graz on Saturday.

(Bild: Radspieler Jürgen)

The national election campaign has only just begun, but SPÖ leader Andreas Babler is plagued by scandals within the party. Nevertheless, he expects a "sensational result" in Graz, a tough place for the Social Democrats.

Andreas Babler is not lacking in name recognition. "Is that Babler?" says a stallholder on Lendplatz in Graz on Saturday lunchtime, stretching his head towards the crowd. The SPÖ leader is handing out brochures, lighters and coolies and has two red friendship bracelets on his wrist: "Andi Babler" is written on one, "Herz X Hirn" on the other.

The officials have to wait almost an hour and a half for Babler at the hot Lendplatz on Saturday before the camper van with his face on it rolls up. There is tension in the air - this is not how one would have imagined the election campaign to start. After the affair surrounding Linz Mayor Klaus Luger, it also became known on Friday evening that the second National Council President of the SPÖ, Doris Bures, expressed "suspicions of unseriousness" in a letter about Babler's election program. 

Styrian functionaries back Babler
"The program is certainly not unserious," says club leader Hannes Schwarz and backs the top candidate. "It was discussed beforehand." State Councillor and SPÖ Graz leader Doris Kampus also has no sympathy for such accusations. "Doris Bures surprises me, and I can't understand it either." The party program has "controversial points" - such as the reduction in working hours - but is certainly not unserious. Postscript: "Apparently there is still a problem with unity in the party."

And Babler himself? What does he say about Bures' letter and its publication? Not much. "I can understand that there is now resentment and a lack of understanding. We are in an internal coordination process. That's why I don't want to say any more about it yet."  

First place to come in Graz
Instead, the Traiskirchen mayor is pleased about the encouragement from Styria. "We were in Kindberg and Kapfenberg, where I felt the enthusiasm of the people." And Graz, which is a tough place for the SPÖ in terms of local politics? "I will be well received here, we were number one in the EU elections" - with 21% of the vote - "and we will certainly achieve a sensational result here".

Cooperation with Styrian SPÖ leader Anton Lang is "good". And this despite the fact that Lang recently told the media in Vienna that we need to move more towards the political center? "I come from the center of society. The Social Democrats have a program that works," says Babler. The ÖVP, on the other hand, is "running a race of inhumanity in migration policy", while Herbert Kickl wants to "undermine democracy" with the FPÖ.