Who gets the boot?

Battle for position in the Styrian People’s Party

Future uncertain: Barbara Eibinger-Miedl, Karlheinz Kornhäusl, Simone Schmiedtbauer and Werner Amon (from left).

(Bild: Jauschowetz Christian)

Christopher Drexler's future as Styrian ÖVP leader is still uncertain - but who should succeed him? There are several candidates. The FPÖ government team is already in place. The new FPÖ provincial councillor Claudia Holzer has also received a lot of praise from the red side.

The Styrian People's Party is currently governed by the lottery motto: anything is possible. The fact that Christopher Drexler will continue to lead the Black Party in the future is anything but set in stone. The powerful business wing in particular and mayors concerned about their re-election next year are continuing to exert considerable pressure to ensure that the election debacle also results in a personnel realignment at the top.

The name of Barbara Eibinger-Miedl keeps coming up in this regard. It is said in Viennese ÖVP circles that it is already certain that she will take over from Drexler. However, she has not yet given in to the intensive campaigning for her person.

Graz party fights for Kornhäusl
One person who has always been and continues to be seen as the new "one" is hospital councillor Karlheinz Kornhäusl. It is at least doubtful that he will leave the government. The Graz city party, which is not insignificant for the provincial ÖVP, will almost certainly not simply accept the removal of its only representative.

Especially as the state capital, together with Hartberg-Fürstenfeld, is the only district won by the Black Party in the state parliamentary elections. Lukas Schnitzer comes from Hartberg. He is being touted as a possible new club chairman - which many consider unlikely, as he was one of the few ÖVP voices who openly pushed for a realignment of the party leadership after the lost election.

And then there is Werner Amon. The current state councillor for education is also said to have the drive for the goal - so it remains the case that anything is possible.

Holzer becomes FPÖ state councillor
The Freedom Party has long since wrapped everything up: The last government ticket up for grabs (alongside the fixed starters of state governor Mario Kunasek, Stefan Hermann for education and Hannes Amesbauer for social affairs) goes to Claudia Holzer. During her career, she has repeatedly switched between politics (local councillor in Graz, member of Vice-Chancellor Heinz-Christian Strache's cabinet) and the private sector, most recently spending four years as an authorized signatory at Graz-Köflacher Bahn, where she was responsible for investments and legal affairs.

New FPÖ provincial councillor: Claudia Holzer.

(Bild: GKB)

Although he comes from the SPÖ camp, GKB Managing Director Gerald Klug speaks of "respectful and good cooperation". One thing is clear: for his company, which is currently handling a mammoth project with the electrification of the lines, close contacts with the future Transport Minister are beneficial.