Board meets tomorrow

Florian Koppler leaves as manager of the provincial SPÖ

SPÖ regional manager Florian Koppler is leaving the party headquarters.

(Bild: Werner Kerschbaummayr/WERNER KERSCHBAUMMAYR / FOTOKERSCHI)

Since the resignation of Michael Lindner as chairman of the SPÖ Upper Austria, the party has been preoccupied with one question: who should take over? Following the success of the comrades in Linz, there now seems to be movement in the matter. Interim party leader Alois Stöger has called an extraordinary meeting of the party executive for tomorrow at 10 am. One thing is certain: Florian Koppler is leaving as party manager. 

The phones have been ringing off the hook among the members of the provincial SPÖ since this morning: the management of the SPÖ provincial parliamentary club informed the MPs of an upcoming meeting. The email from club director Andreas Ortner reads: "In view of the fact that you are all also on the provincial party executive and I have just received information relevant to the date, I would like to share this with you promptly: Tomorrow, January 28, 2025, an extraordinary meeting of the provincial party executive is to be convened at 10 a.m."

The notification from the SPÖ Club Directorate for the meeting of the provincial party executive.

(Bild: Krone KREATIV/Screenshot)

77.1 percent for election winners in Linz
This comes as a surprise one day after the run-off election for the office of Mayor of Linz, which was so successful for the SPÖ. As reported, the party celebrated a huge and, for many, unexpected success with 77.1 percent for its candidate Dietmar Prammer. The next meeting of this body should have taken place on February 3 - we reported on it.

Will Alois Stöger soon be taking down his own door sign at the party headquarters in Linz?

(Bild: Picturedesk für Print/picturedesk.com)

It was also announced for this meeting that interim party leader Alois Stöger, who leads the party as executive chairman, would present the first course of action. After all, it is up to a very small group of Social Democrats to look for and find someone for the office of party leader and for the vacant seat in the Upper Austrian state government. 

Who really calls the shots in the provincial SPÖ
This inner circle of decision-makers in the delicate personnel issue includes Alois Stöger himself, Chamber of Labor President Andreas Stangl, Steyr Mayor Markus Vogl, Wels-born SPÖ Federal Women's Chairwoman Eva Maria Holzleitner and Linz election winner Dietmar Prammer. Stöger only assembled this committee on Thursday of the previous week for a secret meeting in Linz. 

After the chairman Michael Lindner (right), regional managing director Florian Koppler is now also no longer interested. The two are good friends.

(Bild: Werner Pöchinger)

As was confirmed to the "Krone" in advance, the provincial party executive is also discussing the management of the provincial SPÖ at its extraordinary meeting. The up-and-coming regional managing director Florian Koppler has decided to leave the party. There are rumors that he is moving to the international insurance industry. 

Decision on Koppler's successor could be made tomorrow
Born in Mühlviertel, he was at the side of his "good friend" Michael Lindner when he took over the chairmanship of the party. Without him, he can obviously no longer imagine a future in the leadership of the party. It was not known on Monday afternoon who would move into the party headquarters in Landstrasse as the new regional managing director. An interim solution is being considered for the time being. 

Koppler himself would like to remain involved in the SPÖ, as he said in an interview with the "Krone". He will continue to lead the Franckviertel section in Linz and "will of course remain a party member with full passion".