Paul Kofler: 21-year-old elected as new SJG boss with 96.7%!

Paul Kofler: 21-year-old elected as new SJG boss with 96.7%!

On July 7, 2025, the state conference of the Socialist Youth of Carinthia (SJG) took place in the Klagenfurt event center, at which Paul Kofler was elected as the new state chairman. The 21-year-old from Villach received an impressive 96.7 percent of the vote, succeeding Luca Burgstaller, who held the office for almost ten years. Kofler's election marks a significant oneGenerational changewithin the SJG.

Burgstaller, who described the change in leadership as the “right time” in his farewell speech, called on the party youth to remain loud and uncomfortable. Under his leadership, the SJG grew and introduced innovative formats such as cinema tours and pub quizzes, which increased youth engagement and mobility. These activities have helped strengthen the organization, which now represents an important voice in the social democratic movement.

Congratulations and support

State Governor Peter Kaiser, who also accompanied Kofler's election, congratulated him and emphasized the importance of the SJG for the social democratic movement. In his speech, he emphasized the need for constructive and critical cooperation between the SPÖ and the SJG in order to ensure strong representation of the interests of young Carinthians.

In addition to Peter Kaiser, the well-wishers at the state conference also included State Councilor Daniel Fellner, NR Philip Kucher, LA representative Günter Leiakam, STR member Constance Mochar and SJ federal chairwoman Larissa Zivkovic. This support illustrates the SJG's network within the political landscape of Carinthia.

Inaugural speech by Paul Kofler

In his inaugural speech, Kofler explained that the SJG acted as a mouthpiece for young people in Carinthia and called for active engagement in favor of youth-friendly political issues. Kofler sees his task as continuing the commitment he has achieved under Burgstaller and would like to lead the organization to new heights.

The importance of political youth organizations is not only limited to Carinthia, but is also evident in the German political landscape. Organizations like the Jusos, founded by the SPD in 1914, are an example of how important it is to bring young voices into political decision-making processes. Over the last 100 years, political youth organizations have established themselves as critical forces for political modernization and ensure the future viability of their parties by representing the interests of young people.

All in all, the change in leadership at the SJG shows that the organization is determined to actively represent the concerns of young people both in Carinthia and beyond.

For more information on this topic, read reports from Click Carinthia, 5 minutes and M945.