Stocker will be named the new ÖVP boss in Wiener Neustadt today!

Stocker will be named the new ÖVP boss in Wiener Neustadt today!

On March 29, 2025, an important federal party conference of the Austrian People's Party (ÖVP) will take place in Wiener Neustadt, at which Christian Stocker will be officially elected as the new party leader. Around 2,000 enthusiastic party supporters gathered in the Arena Nova to celebrate this event. There are also prominent guests in attendance, including all former party leaders of the last three decades, with the exception of Reinhold Mitterlehner.

The election of Stocker, who has served as the party's executive chairman since January 5, 2025, takes place as part of the ÖVP's 80th anniversary. The party was founded on April 17, 1945, and the party congress is intended to commemorate the tradition and successes of the People's Party. Life-size cardboard figures are reminiscent of the 18 previous chairmen of the ÖVP, which provides nostalgic flashbacks.

The resignation and election of Christian Stocker

Karl Nehammer, the former party leader and chancellor who resigned from office in January 2025, is accompanying Stocker and will give a speech. The transition in leadership comes against the backdrop of an improved mood within the People's Party after regaining the Chancellery. The expectations of approval for Stocker are high, because traditionally the new ÖVP leaders are given very good results in their first election; Nehammer was elected with 100 percent in 2022, Sebastian Kurz received 98.7 percent in 2017 and Reinhold Mitterlehner received 99.1 percent in 2014.

Finally, in addition to Stocker, four deputies are also elected: Thomas Stelzer, Veronika Marte, Karoline Edtstadler and Sophia Kircher. Barbara Eibinger-Miedl has decided not to run again in order to concentrate on her role as Secretary of State for Finance.

The role of the ÖVP in Austrian politics

The Austrian People's Party is considered one of the traditional major parties in Austria, representing the bourgeois and conservative spectrum. Since its founding in 1945, it has provided the Federal Chancellor in 15 of 32 federal governments. This also includes the names of prominent politicians such as Leopold Figl, Sebastian Kurz and Karl Nehammer. Five of Austria's nine state governors are affiliated with the ÖVP.

The ÖVP has defined itself as pro-European and advocates values ​​such as freedom, responsibility and security. Despite some challenges in recent years, including loss of votes in state elections in individual federal states, the party structure remains federalist and strongly anchored in the state organizations. Historically, the ÖVP has also played a growing role within the European People's Party in the European Parliament and has always shown great interest in the concerns of its members.

With consultant Christian Stocker at the helm, the ÖVP hopes to provide new impetus through clear guidelines and calm within the party in order to meet the coming challenges in Austria's political landscape.

To find out more about the background and history of the Austrian People's Party, we refer to the detailed summary on the Wikipedia page on the ÖVP.

The party conference will also be accompanied by other speakers, including general secretary Nico Marchetti and club chairman August Wöginger, which shows that the new leadership can count on broad support within the party.

Overall, this federal party conference will not only celebrate the election of a new party leader, but also demonstrate the strength and loyalty of the ÖVP members as they prepare for a new chapter in parliamentary history.