Election setbacks for Austrian People's Party (ÖVP) as district leader Ebert reconsiders support
Hietzing: A Turbulent ÖVP Stronghold
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Vienna-Hietzing, long-standing ÖVP (Austrian People's Party) territory, has taken a hard hit in the recent Vienna elections, no other district party experiencing such a severe defeat. Only Hietzing bears this mark, making it the blackest district in the greenest region. This tumultuous turn of events poses a challenge for the district mayor, Nikolaus Ebert.
Post-election, discussions have swirled on how to move forward, as dissatisfaction within the party has brewed, according to well-informed sources. The defeat is labeled a "crushing loss."
Today, a district party executive meeting is set to clarify the path ahead following this result, with the district mayor's office firmly in the spotlight. Ebert's leadership has not been without controversy, and calls for a different candidate at the helm are resurfacing.
A Past Filled with Strife
This predicament carries a history, as our platform uncovers from informed circles. Slightly over a year ago, the then-mayor Silke Kobald vacated the post. Her successor was destined to be Johanna Sperker, but tensions within the ÖVP arose, leading to a party internal dispute. Proponents of Nikolaus Ebert emerged victorious, and Sperker was abruptly moved to the position of district party chairwoman and club chairman.
The discord this dispute created within the ÖVP women's group persists to this day.
Hietzing had remained quiet since the incident, until now - after the election. The call for Johanna Sperker once more grows louder. Ebert, during the election, almost doubled the number of preference votes compared to Sperker. This yet might not be enough to prevent a potential leadership change.
Johanna Sperker could not be reached for comment Thursday.
"Nothing too Exciting"
Nikolaus Ebert, however, remains unperturbed. "It won't be as exciting today as many think," he says. Meetings of this kind take place after an election, he clarifies.
The result is "bitter" and "naturally," the incumbent district mayor admits, he was "sad." But now, it's about analyzing the result. For the future, attention should be paid to the senior population, young people, and women, says Ebert. It's plausible, he suggests, that some women in the district did not support him due to past disagreements. However, this issue, he argues, is "no longer a big topic."
When compared to the other two ÖVP district mayors, who endured far less losses, Ebert has been in office for a shorter period. Consequently, he is less well-known. At his inauguration as district mayor 18 months ago, he highlighted his 36 years of local political experience.
Will Ebert continue to serve as district mayor? "I will not resign," he says unequivocally.
Whether his resolve holds, remains to be seen. "Sometimes a dynamic of its own evolves in such situations," whispers arise from ÖVP circles, citing figures like Karl Mahrer, who initially refused to relinquish his position but ultimately did.
- Following the turbulent elections in Vienna, there is growing discussion about the policy-and-legislation and politics of Hietzing, with particular focus on the ÖVP district and the district mayor's role, in light of the district's severe defeat.
- The general-news surrounding the leadership of district mayor Nikolaus Ebert in Hietzing has been marked by strife, as calls for a change intensify, evoking memories of past internal disputes and the resurgence of Johanna Sperker as a potential candidate.
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