SPÖ Styria before personnel changes: Lercher could succeed Lang!

SPÖ Styria before personnel changes: Lercher could succeed Lang!

After the election defeat of the Styrian SPÖ on November 24th, which led to the formation of a government by the FPÖ and ÖVP, personnel changes are pending among the Social Democrats. Anton Lang will announce his resignation as party leader, and Max Lercher could step in as his successor in the opposition role. Leoben's mayor Kurt Wallner, who had already spoken out early on in favor of possible cooperation with the FPÖ, said before the state party board meeting that he wanted unity and an open word. Wallner emphasized that a “critical and constructive opposition policy” was needed instead of a “frontal opposition policy,” reported ORF Styria.

On the way to new opposition politics

Lercher, who was previously state manager and federal manager of the SPÖ and most recently sat in the National Council, does not have a mandate in the state parliament because he ran in the elections at the bottom of the list. In order to enter the state parliament, several party colleagues would have to give up their mandates, according to reporting by Pulse24.

The meeting, which, in addition to Lang and Lercher, is attended by important SPÖ representatives and mayors such as Harald Bergmann von Knittelfeld, could set the course for the SPÖ's future strategy in Styria. In addition to Wallner, influential personalities such as the trade unionists Josef Muchitsch and Horst Schachner as well as the Graz local council club chairman Daniela Schlüsselberger are also present. The live stream of the press conference, which begins at 3:30 p.m., promises exciting insights into the upcoming changes within the Styrian SPÖ.