"Not reprehensible"

Former Identitarian takes over FPÖ local group in Wies

The Identitarian Movement (shown here at a demonstration in Vienna) is considered far-right.

(Bild: APA/HERBERT PFARRHOFER)

The parties are gearing up for the Styrian local council elections on March 23, with the FPÖ in particular looking to make gains. However, a personnel change in Wies is causing unrest. A former active member of the far-right Identitarian Movement is now the new local party chairman.

FPÖ leader and perhaps-soon-to-be Federal Chancellor Herbert Kickl once trivialized the far-right Identitarian movement as an "NGO from the right". A recent development at local political level shows just how little fear of contact there is.

In the south-western Styrian municipality of Wies, Konstantin Leitinger was elected as the new local party chairman in a close vote on Wednesday evening. The entrepreneur, who was already a local councillor in his old home municipality of St. Martin im Sulmtal, was active in the Identitarian Party for several years. This is also causing concern within the party 

FPÖ has no concerns
FPÖ regional managing director Friedrich Scheer does not see this past as "morally reprehensible", as he said in response to an inquiry from Krone. Leitinger is also not criminally reproachable. "We are happy to have such a young, motivated candidate. He is an asset to the municipality."

Scheer cannot confirm rumors that Leitinger will also become district party chairman. That would be decided by the committees. However, the current district party chairman, Federal Councillor Werner Gradwohl, is "stable".