What's behind it all

SPÖ power struggles: even honorary consul gets involved

The federal SPÖ is once again confronted with internal ricochets.

(Bild: APA/HELMUT FOHRINGER)

The fact that the SPÖ has had to deal with internal cross-fire at almost regular intervals for years is nothing new. Rudi Fußi is currently trying to topple the current party leader Andreas Babler. Now even the honorary consul of the Republic of Albania in Austria is interfering in the red match fights, siding with Fußi and demanding the replacement of a high SPÖ post.

It was only on Thursday that the red rebel Fußi declared in the "Krone" newspaper that he already had more than half of the votes needed for a battle with Andreas Babler for the party chairmanship.

Rudi Fußi wants to become SPÖ leader and is currently busy collecting declarations of support. However, he is criticizing the lack of cooperation from the federal leadership.

(Bild: APA/HANS KLAUS TECHT)

To explain: Fußi needs the support of ten percent of SPÖ members (i.e. around 14,000 votes). These must come from at least four federal states.

SPÖ: "Extremely few inquiries about Fußi's candidacy"
However, Federal Managing Director Klaus Seltenheim strongly doubts the subtotal of Fußi's declarations of support: "Nobody knows whether these are SPÖ members, we have no insight." And he added: "The inquiries and letters regarding Fußi's candidacy that reach us in the federal executive are in any case extremely few."

SPÖ Federal Managing Director Klaus Seltenheim is under pressure.

(Bild: APA/HELMUT FOHRINGER)

Fußi did not take these allegations lying down for long: "The SPÖ's federal management insinuated that the number of signatures could not be verified and suggested that I was telling the truth. This motivates me even more," emphasized the rebel.

All of this is proof that the way this federal executive is being handled can only be qualified as visibly overburdened and unsuitable.

Rudi Fußi kritisiert die SPÖ-Bundesgeschäftsführung.

He criticized the fact that numerous obstacles were placed in his way when collecting signatures. For example, he was allegedly refused an anonymized list of member data as well as the ongoing submission of incoming declarations of support and information to members at his own expense. "I have therefore increased my budget and will find other ways to inform our members," Fußi revealed.

Honorary consul jumps to Fußi's side
Markus Posset, Honorary Consul of the Republic of Albania, is now standing by his side. He is even openly calling for the immediate resignation of the red federal managing director. 

Markus Posset is a media manager, investor, management consultant, lobbyist and honorary consul of the Republic of Albania in Austria.

(Bild: OTS/Star Troopers Publishing Group GmbH/Markus Posset)

"Seltenheim unsuitable"
"You don't always have to agree with Rudi Fußi, but he's not entirely wrong about the SPÖ federal leadership. Seltenheim is completely unsuitable and so he cannot show any corresponding successes," criticized the 48-year-old in a press release, referring to the SPÖ's last three election failures (Vorarlberg, National Council, Lower Austria).

The SPÖ Styria will take its election campaign into its own hands and would like to work without the support of the federal manager.

Markus Posset, Honorarkonsul der Republik Albanien in Österreich

Public tender required
According to him, the SPÖ in Styria will take its election campaign into its own hands and work without the support of the federal managing director. "I propose a proper, public tender for the position of a new SPÖ Federal Managing Director, where qualified and suitable applicants can undergo a hearing," demands Posset.

Only in this way can Andreas Babler guarantee the SPÖ members "that a successful new start can work".

Posset, a media manager and entrepreneur based in St. Andrä-Wödern, who also advises the Albanian Prime Minister, is no stranger to the SPÖ.

Honorary consul wanted to overthrow Schnabl in Lower Austria in 2022
In 2022, he wanted to replace Franz Schnabl, then deputy governor of the SPÖ, and lead the Social Democrats into the regional elections. Hollywood star Quinton Aaron (known from "The Blind Side", among others) even sent Posset a video message as a campaign aid with the title: "Let's kick Schnabl away and make lower austria great again!"

Posset's plan failed, however, and the SPÖ stuck with Schnabl. Are the new ricochets against Seltenheim now the comrades' late cause?