Manuela Khom: 98.6% approval as the new head of the Styrian ÖVP!

Manuela Khom wurde mit 98,6 % zur neuen Chefin der steirischen ÖVP gewählt. Der Parteitag fand in Premstätten statt.
Manuela Khom was elected as the new head of the Styrian ÖVP with 98.6 %. The party congress took place in Premstätten. (Symbolbild/DNAT)

Manuela Khom: 98.6% approval as the new head of the Styrian ÖVP!

Premstätten, Österreich - On July 5, 2025, Manuela Khom was elected as the new state party chairwoman of the Styrian ÖVP with an overwhelming 98.6 percent of the votes. The extraordinary state party conference took place in the Schwarzlhalle in Premstätten, where 423 delegates were present. 417 of the votes cast were valid. Khom succeeds Christopher Drexler, who hopes for a new beginning for the Styrian People's Party after led the party in 2022 with 98.03 percent.

The election was originally scheduled for June 14, 2025, but was postponed due to the AMOKAT from Graz. In her speech, Khom emphasized the need for performance and cohesion to lead the ÖVP back to the top. She announced that it was constructive with the coalition partner FPÖ to find solutions without getting into conflicts.

criticism and challenges

Although Khom received clear support, there was still anonymous criticism of her leadership style and the emancipation of FPÖ chairman Mario Kunasek. Against the background that she came into office as the President of the Landtag and now also plays the role of the governor's deputy.

In terms of the EU, KHOM expressed positive views and emphasized the importance of export for Styria. In addition, she clearly spoke out against the abuse of social benefits and defended the cuts carried out in the social sector. This was perceived by many as important political positioning.

The new state government and its agendas

The coalition from the Styrian People's Party and the FPÖ, which received 30 out of a total of 48 votes, was renewed as part of the constituent meeting of the Styria meeting. In the new government, KHOM takes responsibility for the aging communities, regions, Europe and international and society, except for the youth field. Your deputies and their responsibilities are as follows:

name department
Barbara Eibinger-Miedl economy, work, science and research, finance
Karlheinz Kornhäusl health and care, culture
Simone Schmiedtbauer agriculture and forestry, hunting and fishing, residential construction and energy, water and resource economy, veterinarians

The first meeting of the new state government is planned for December 19, 2024, where the division of business according to the government agreement "Strong Styria. Safe future." should be decided. This faces the new leadership challenging times in which they have to face the feedback from their own ranks and at the same time meet the expectations of the electorate.

Details
OrtPremstätten, Österreich
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