Upper Austria invites

Governors’ meeting at Lake Traunsee: The demands of the provinces

A meeting in a fantastic setting: Trunkirchen

(Bild: Hörmandinger Marion/Marion Hörmandinger)

The provincial governors' conference is taking place today and tomorrow in Traunkirchen. The meeting of the heads of the provincial governments is taking place under special circumstances, as the ongoing coalition negotiations at federal level are setting the framework for the discussions. The provinces have high expectations of the new federal government and the provincial governors are likely to present their demands with vigor.

One unofficial item on the agenda will certainly be the recent state election in Styria, in which the FPÖ was able to celebrate a surprising election success. FPÖ leader Mario Kunasek is currently regarded as the most promising candidate for the post of provincial governor. The political developments in Styria could also influence the talks in Traunkirchen. It was still unclear at midday on Tuesday whether the incumbent governor Christopher Drexler would join his colleagues. 

Governor Thomas Stelzer (ÖVP)

(Bild: Peter C. Mayr)

Position paper of the federal states: focus on energy and location
Upper Austria's Governor Thomas Stelzer (ÖVP), who is currently chairing the Governors' Conference, announced in advance that the federal states would be bundling their expectations of the new federal government in a position paper. Central topics of this document include energy issues, location development and the KIM regulation, which provides for stricter lending guidelines for consumers.

Is election loser Christopher Drexler coming?

(Bild: Pail Sepp)

Another concern of the heads of the provinces relates to the involvement of the provinces in nationwide decisions. Thomas Stelzer is calling for the federal states to be more closely involved in negotiations, for example on the renaturation ordinance. According to Stelzer, communication between the federal government and the provinces should also be made more efficient in future.

Relief demanded for grid costs
Tyrol's Governor Anton Mattle (ÖVP) also wants to set the tone at the conference. In the run-up to the conference, he emphasized the urgent need for measures to cushion the burden of rising grid costs for households and companies. In view of the central role of energy policy in connection with the climate crisis and economic challenges, this point could become one of the core topics of the talks.

Setting the course for the future
The conference at Lake Traunsee offers the provincial governors the opportunity to speak with a united voice and concretize their demands to the federal government. Against the backdrop of political and economic challenges, the meeting will show how united the provinces are in representing their interests and what priorities they will set in the coming months.