Vienna's ÖVP squabble: How Spain's power outage spared Ruck from loss

Unleashing the Political Pawns: Vienna's ÖVP Shuffles its Deck

Here's a lowdown on the drama unfolding within Vienna's ÖVP, as they tussle for power and jockey for positions amidst a shifting political landscape.

The grand ol' ÖVP crew is currently huddled in Valencia with bigwigs like Manfred Weber, Ursula von der Leyen, Friedrich Merz, and Vienna National Council member Gudrun Kugler rubbing shoulders. But it's Vienna's ÖVP that's the center of attention, as they navigate through a high-stakes poker game that might alter the future of the party.

Vienna's Missing Piece: Kugler's Absence Saves Ruck and ReschThe fact that Kugler was resting her boots in Spain while her home party was in turmoil played a significant role in the ÖVP's events of Monday. In essence, Kugler's absence from the scene was the difference that saved economic association chairman Walter Ruck, and his protégé, Daniel Resch, from losing the battle.

The dice were cast during a heated vote in the ÖVP presidency meeting. Two potential successors to Karl Mahrer were fighting tooth and nail. Resch, the economic association head, went head-to-head against Markus Figl, the district chief in the Inner City. In the climactic moment, the vote ended in a nail-biting 12-12 tie.

Kugler's absence was the key factor in this deadlock. More specifically, it was due to Spain's power outage at the time, which left her in the dark, making it impossible for her to cast her vote. Contrary to initial plans, she couldn't vote via video call as neither her phone nor internet worked.

The Game in a Small CircleEventually, the two candidates decamped to a private room for consultations with the board members of their respective associations. After heated discussions, they returned with a compromise that favored Figl, who would now lead the party. The agreement left Resch with the tantalizing prospect of a potential office in a red-green city government.

Rumors abound regarding Resch and Ruck's agreement to Figl's ascension. Word on the street suggests they were worried that Spain would repair the power outage and establish a connection with Kugler. If that had happened, she might have swung the vote in Figl's favor. Kugler, ever the coy one, declines to comment on her voting allegiance when probed.

Intriguingly, another key figure was absent from the ÖVP meeting: outgoing club chairman Markus Wölbitsch, who decided not to run for re-election and is hanging up his political boots. Wölbitsch has faithfully stayed mum about his party, adhering to a strict code of silence concerning his former comrades.

Negotiating Tables Set: Ludwig's Dance with Three Parties Negotiations between SPÖ, ÖVP, Greens, or NEOS are expected to commence this week, with the latter kicking things off on Wednesday. Reports suggest the atmosphere is cordial, but the details remain under wraps.

The Playmaker: Ludwig's Maneuvers with SPÖ, Greens, and NEOSThe Greens have plans to bring housing, education, and climate change into the discussions. Their hope in the talks is high thanks to their comradery with party chair Judith Pühringer, as well as internal talk about the ideal combination of red and green for the topics of climate-social policy. With NEOS also being a strong contender for the last coalition partner and the new ÖVP negotiation team shuffling the cards, Ludwig has a solid basis for negotiations with all parties, alliances notwithstanding.

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In the midst of Vienna's ÖVP politics, the absence of Gudrun Kugler in Spain, during a critical vote, was pivotal in saving Walter Ruck and Daniel Resch from potential defeat.
The vote for potential ÖVP successors to Karl Mahrer ended in a tie, with Kugler's inability to vote due to a power outage in Spain being the deciding factor.
With Kugler absent, the two candidates retreated for private consultations with their respective association board members to hammer out a compromise, ultimately favoring Markus Figl to lead the party.
Rumors suggest that Resch and Ruck may have made an agreement with Figl's ascension, fearing that Kugler would have swung the vote in Figl's favor if she could have cast her vote via video call.
Negotiations between SPÖ, Greens, NEOS, and the reshuffled ÖVP negotiation team are anticipated to commence this week, with the Greens focused on housing, education, and climate change during their discussions.