Karoline Edtstadler: First woman at the head of the Salzburg ÖVP!

Karoline Edtstadler: First woman at the head of the Salzburg ÖVP!

Salzburg, Österreich - On June 28, 2025, Karoline Edtstadler was elected as the new chairwoman of the Salzburg ÖVP. The President of the ÖVP seniors, Ingrid Korosec, congratulated Edtstadler and described her as a committed and profiled politician with an impressive horizon of experience. Korosec referred to Edtstadler's earlier activities as a judge, chief prosecutor and her time at the European Court of Human Rights. She was also a member of the EU and most recently minister of the EU and constitution in the Federal Chancellery.

Korosec emphasized how important Edtstadler's connection is to Salzburg and wished her every success in view of the current challenges. She also thanked Wilfried Haslauer, the outgoing chairman, for his 21 years of commitment in the party and 12 years as governor. Haslauer was described as the master of the words and man of the deeds, whose actions have contributed significantly to the well -being of the state.

handover of the party leadership

With the withdrawal of Haslauer from politics, a new era begins. Edtstadler, who has acted as a managing state party chairwoman since February 1, will be elected as the new governor in the state parliament next Wednesday. Originally the inner party handover was planned for June 13, but was postponed after the killing spree in Graz.

She is the first woman at the head of the party, which is an important step for gender equality in Austrian politics. The federal party leader Christian Stocker spoke about the geopolitical situation and future challenges, while he praised Edtstadler for her political character. As part of the restructuring, Edtstadler is now supported by a deputy and three other deputies: Stefan Schnöll, Helmut Mödlhammer, Sandra Hasenauer and Maximilian Aigner.

A look at the gender situation in politics

The choice of Edtstadler also reflects the developments in the gender situation in Austria. According to a current analysis, the proportion of women in political offices and committees has deteriorated slightly. In the National Council, 74 of 183 MPs are female, which corresponds to a share of 40.4%. In comparison, the proportion of women in the federal government is 35.7% and even 46.7% in the Federal Council. These figures show that despite progress in some areas, a lot of work is still necessary.

The ÖVP has decided to promote women's political commitment and to initiate a rejuvenation process. It is planned that electoral lists will be created without rigid quotas in the future and that people without a party book can also run on them. This could help increase diversity and inclusion within the party.

Karoline Edtstadler's choice could be the first step in a new direction. Your success at the head of the Salzburg ÖVP can be seen as a signal for a positive development in equality policy in Austria.