Vienna Greens rely on individual leadership: Who will be the top candidate in 2025?

Vienna Greens rely on individual leadership: Who will be the top candidate in 2025?

The Greens in Vienna are facing a significant reorganization that is important for the upcoming municipal and district council elections in autumn 2025. Just two months after the National Council election, which was disappointing for the party, the previous dual leadership is to be replaced by a single leader. This decision was made against the backdrop of the elections, in which the Greens significantly lost votes compared to 2019.

The vote result of 12.34 percent means a decline of more than 8 percentage points for the Greens in Vienna. In regions that were traditionally considered green strongholds, the decline was particularly noticeable. Despite this worrying development, party representatives emphasize that this election is viewed as a tactical decision by many voters who supported the SPÖ in order to forestall a possible shift to the right.

New course for the Greens

However, there will no longer be room for two top candidates to start the Vienna election campaign. Party leaders Judith Pühringer and Peter Kraus, who have led the Greens as a leadership team for the last three years, are each entering the new era as individual candidates. It is expected that a decision on the future top candidate will be announced next week. Insiders report that Pühringer and Kraus had already agreed on this step between themselves before the National Council election.

Although there will be an official nomination, the final confirmation of the top candidate will not take place until February 22, 2025, when the green base will hold an election at a state assembly to allocate the places on the list. It therefore remains to be seen who will ultimately go into the election campaign as the memorable face of the Vienna Greens.

Pühringer and Kraus were first confirmed in their positions in spring 2023, but this change in direction could be very important for the party's future strategy. In view of the upcoming elections, it is now essential that the Greens tailor their form and messages precisely to voters in order to win back votes that may have been lost.

There will be tension and discourse within the party over the next few weeks as members adjust to the ongoing changes and decide how best to respond to the challenges that lie ahead. This realignment could be the key to regaining connection with voters.

For more information about developments within the Greens and the upcoming decisions, it's worth taking a look www.meinkreis.at.