Martin Winkler wants to become SPÖ chairman – new impulses for Upper Austria!

Martin Winkler wants to become SPÖ chairman – new impulses for Upper Austria!

Martin Winkler (61) announced his candidacy as the new chairman of the SPÖ Upper Austria on Thursday. The search for a successor to Michael Lindner, who retired from politics in November 2022, could now be over. Winkler emphasizes that Upper Austria must remain an industrial federal state and calls for the promotion of alternative energies instead of the establishment of wind power ban zones. The career changer into politics was previously federal chairman of the Socialist Youth from 1990 to 1992 and looks back on an impressive career as managing director and co-owner of the treasury consulting firm Schwabe, Ley & Greiner.

Winkler was born in Katsdorf, studied economics at the Johannes Kepler University in Linz and at international universities and was significantly involved in an energy policy project in Burgenland. In 2010 he founded the crowdfunding platform Respect.net, which supports socio-political commitment in Austria. Winkler sees it as a central challenge to end dependence on Russian gas and oil and plans to expand wind, photovoltaic and pumped storage power plants in Upper Austria with the aim of providing cheap energy for industry.

Political vision and challenges

In his political ambitions, Winkler would like to strengthen the SPÖ in Upper Austria and emphasize the connection between business and work. His slogan “Performance, respect for this performance and security” is intended to help win back disappointed voters from the ÖVP and FPÖ. To achieve this, he has already visited various district groups to introduce himself and gain support.

Winkler plans to mobilize investments amounting to 15 billion euros in wind and photovoltaic projects. He also criticizes the transport policy in Upper Austria and the challenges surrounding the Mauthausen Danube Bridge. His focus is clearly on the need to build new photovoltaic, wind and pumped storage power plants, while he questions the ÖVP's current tax reforms and their impact on municipal finances.

• Brutto-Stromerzeugung 2022:
• Windkraft: 7,3 Terawattstunden (TWh)
• Photovoltaik (PV): 3,5 TWh
• Biomasse: 3,1 TWh

He points to the possible targets of the Renewable Energy Expansion Act (EAG), which are set by 2030: 17 TWh from wind power and 13 TWh from photovoltaics. In fact, almost three quarters of the electricity generated in Austria comes from renewable sources, with hydropower playing the largest role. Winkler sees great potential in the acceptance of smaller, private PV systems and calls for projects in the field of renewable energies to be implemented quickly.

Social responsibility and personal motivation

Personal experiences with difficult family circumstances led Winkler to also take care of child and youth welfare. Despite growing challenges in state politics, he has clear ideas about how he wants to turn the SPÖ Upper Austria inside out and build a strong campaign movement for the 2027 state elections. He has not yet addressed the issue of cannabis legalization, but is focused on the social and economic well-being of his constituents.

The party committees meet on Tuesday, and a party conference is planned for the fall to decide on the future direction of the SPÖ. Winkler is considered the favorite of Alois Stöger, the executive leader of the SPÖ, and has already garnered valuable support within the party. His vision for Upper Austria could be politically groundbreaking.