Birgit Gerstorfer: First woman at the head of the Pensioners' Association!

Birgit Gerstorfer: First woman at the head of the Pensioners' Association!

Vienna, Österreich - Birgit Gerstorfer was elected on July 4, 2025 as the first woman at the head of the Pensioners Association of Austria (PVÖ). On an extraordinary association day, she received an impressive 96.6 percent of the delegate votes. Gerstorfer follows the late Peter Kostelka, who played an important role in the association in April this year and died unexpectedly.

In her inaugural speech, Gerstorfer emphasized that representing the interests of the older generation was their most important task. She is 61 years old and can look back on many years of experience. Before her election as President, Gerstorfer had been the state president of the PVÖ in Upper Austria since 2023 and previously held significant positions, including as the state manager of the AMS and as the state party chairman of the SPÖ in Upper Austria.

focus on age justice

A central concern of Gerstorfer is the fight against poverty in old age and discrimination. It demands that the compensation allowance, also known as the minimum board, must be above the poverty limit. In times when many people have to struggle with financial difficulties, she sees it as an essential goal that the budget is not being renovated on the back of the elderly. The entire mandate is shaped by the demand that older people are actively involved in social processes and are not disadvantaged through the progressive digitization may.

Gerstorfer continues to plan to monitor the federal government in its austerity measures and is committed to an age-appropriate world of work and the expansion of health and care services. The discrimination of older people in different areas of life is also one of their main topics. In this context, she criticized, among other things, access to financial advantages that are often reserved for younger people.

collaboration on the Senior Council

Gerstorfer is represented by the interests of all older people, but focuses on taking into account the concerns of women. She also received support from Ingrid Korosec, the President of the ÖVP Seniorenbund, who congratulated her on this election and is looking forward to working on the senior citizens' council. As reported , the expectations of Gerstorfer are not only the proven cooperation, but also to develop innovative ideas to improve the quality of life of the older generation.

The choice of Gerstorfer to the top of the PVÖ not only marks a historical turning point, but also a new step in the recognition and appreciation of older people in society. Their experience and fighting spirit give the association new dynamics to master the challenges of the coming years. Every step that Gerstorfer takes is persecuted with interest, especially since it proves to be the voice of the older generation.