The shake-up in Austria’s SPÖ over its new leadership continues, with Innsbruck chief Helmut Buchacher announcing his resignation over a party take-over of what he deems to be far-left newcomers.
Austria’s oldest party – and the leader of the parliamentary opposition – has been caught in a drawn-out leadership contest. Following a membership vote and a botched delegate election, the leftmost candidate Andreas Babler took the helm. More conservative SPÖ politicians took offence.
“After 35 years of SPÖ membership, the consequence for me is to leave, because I don’t want to have anything to do with the left fringe in what used to be a large workers’ movement,” said Helmut Buchacher, who chaired the SPÖ’s group in Innsbruck – one of Austria’s regional capitals – on Facebook.
According to Buchacher, Babler, who came in second during the member’s vote, was not democratically elected. He then went on to secure his spot in the party by bringing in his own people.
“He has exposed our country and the party to ridicule throughout the world through long outdated, Marxist political propaganda that means regress in real life now and today,” the SPÖ politician added.
Already, the far-right FPÖ has offered to welcome the defected SPÖ party member. Innsbruck deputy mayor Markus Lassenberger (FPÖ) said many people had opted to join the party following the botched leadership vote, APA reported.
(Nikolaus J. Kurmayer | EURACTIV.de)
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