After election defeat:

Despite election debacle: ÖVP provincial leader does not step down

ÖVP top candidate and regional party chairman Christian Sagartz (left) with regional managing director Patrik Fazekas

(Bild: APA/HANS KLAUS TECHT)

After the Burgenland state elections, the ÖVP became the first party to hold a state party committee meeting on Monday morning. It is now clear that top candidate Christian Sagartz will not resign despite the election defeat. Patrik Fazekas will also remain in office. Explosive: Sagartz also sees the reason for the debacle in his own federal party!

The People's Party lost 8.6 percentage points on Sunday, achieving its worst ever result in a regional election in Burgenland with 22% and slipping from second to third place.

Sagartz to hold talks with Doskozil
Sagartz said at a press conference after the provincial party executive on Monday that he had put his person up for discussion. The board had unanimously expressed its confidence in him with one abstention and entrusted him with holding preliminary talks on a possible coalition with Governor Hans Peter Doskozil (SPÖ). Sagartz is convinced that he has a stable relationship with Doskozil, although there have been points of friction in the past.

ÖVP top candidate and state party chairman Christian Sagartz

(Bild: APA/HANS KLAUS TECHT)

The central topic at the board meeting was the reasons for the ÖVP's performance, said Sagartz. He also mentioned the campaign cost cap of 300,000 euros and the ÖVP's about-turn in federal politics, which is now conducting coalition negotiations with the FPÖ under Herbert Kickl after statements to the contrary. "The U-turn in the government negotiations and the austerity package have not helped us," emphasized Sagartz.

The U-turn in the government negotiations and the austerity package have not helped us.

Burgenlands ÖVP-Spitzenkandidat Christian Sagartz

The discussion about an austerity package had not helped the regional ÖVP in the election campaign either. Doskozil, who stands for a certain course in the country, was elected with a majority. The FPÖ, on the other hand, was believed by the majority to be able to bring about change, coming in second place ahead of the ÖVP.

ÖVP top candidate and regional party chairman Christian Sagartz (left) with regional managing director Patrik Fazekas

(Bild: APA/HANS KLAUS TECHT)

Memories of Drexler's reckoning with the federal government
Sagartz's criticism was reminiscent of former Styrian governor Christopher Drexler. The latter also blamed the federal government for the election debacle in the state elections at the end of November. "Federal politics dominated this election - it was more decisive than ever before. So a big thank you to Vienna! I feel a bit like a pawn of the republic," said Drexler. Curious: At the time, the ÖVP was negotiating a three-party coalition with the SPÖ and NEOS, which ultimately failed at the beginning of January. Now Sagartz complained about the blue-black negotiations.

ÖVP mayor calls for Sagartz's resignation
Matthias Weghofer, former member of the provincial parliament and ÖVP mayor of Wiesen, spoke out in favor of Sagartz's resignation. He was quoted in media reports as saying that he should take the example of the resigned chancellor and ÖVP leader Karl Nehammer, resign and release the ÖVP Burgenland from his "hostage-taking". Weghofer is considered a critic of the ÖVP chairman and had already called for his resignation in the run-up to the election.

The mood was "naturally disappointing in and of itself due to the result", said Walter Temmel, second president of the provincial parliament. Efforts must now be made "to bring about a good program again".

SPÖ must look for partners
The SPÖ lost its absolute majority on Sunday, but came first by a wide margin and must now look for partners. From state party leader Hans Peter Doskozil downwards, the Reds have already let it be known that they want to hold talks with everyone. They want to govern with the party with which the red content can best be implemented.