New roles

Opposition gears up for work in the state parliament

Daniel Zadra and Eva Hammerer agree on who will lead the Green Party in the future.

(Bild: SoS)

While the ÖVP and FPÖ have withdrawn from coalition negotiations and are keeping quiet, the Greens and SPÖ are sorting out their club agendas and dividing up the speaker functions. Eva Hammerer and Reinhold Einwallner launch an attack on the ÖVP and FPÖ even before the swearing-in ceremony. 

Green Party leader Eva Hammerer and her colleagues have not yet fully digested the election failure and their ejection from the government. "It's an unusual time. The old is still half there, the new is not quite there yet," she says. In order to reposition themselves for the next five years, the four remaining mandataries met on Tuesday and reassigned the spokesperson functions.

With fewer mandataries, there is more work. But in future, we will no longer have an offended government partner on our hands.

Eva Hammerer

"I'm standing in front of the flipchart where my tasks are written down. There are some brutal chunks on there," reports Hammerer. It's not just the issues of security and women that have moved to Eva Hammerer, but also health, justice and the Court of Audit. "It makes a huge difference whether you have three more or fewer mandates."

And yes, the exciting question of who will lead the Green Party in the future has also been decided. "But we haven't talked about when we will communicate it," emphasizes Hammerer, not really wanting to come out with the result. However, there are many indications that "still provincial councillor" Daniel Zadra will once again become club chairman and Hammer will step into the second row.

From there, the Harder woman is likely to take strong shots at the governing parties in future. FPÖ leader Christof Bitschi has repeatedly taken his lumps in recent months. Wallner & Co. are now likely to face a similar fate, as the Greens will soon no longer have an "offended government partner on their hands".

Deep disappointment 
The SPÖ, which had expected four mandates, dreamed of a fifth and finally won three, is still deeply disappointed. Although SPÖ leader Mario Leiter never tires of emphasizing that the party stands together as one, it is reported that behind the beautifully painted façade there have been some serious rifts.

SPÖ leader Mario Leiter wants to step on the gas and lead the Red Party's parliamentary club.

(Bild: Mathis Fotografie)

"We have analyzed the election and will report to the state electoral authority by Friday who will accept which mandate," reports Leiter. His main concern is to ensure that a suitable successor is available in the event of a member of parliament leaving. He will be joined in parliament by Manuela Auer and Reinhold Einwallner. "We are motivated and well-positioned," the prospective club chairman is convinced. Reinhold Einwallner already has one eye on the position of Chairman of the Control Committee and is looking forward to debates with the FPÖ.

Otherwise, he is already looking ahead to the municipal elections in the spring. "We have to build up the local organizations. We want to focus on education and childcare - issues that are of concern to many and where the expertise lies with the municipalities."