A party conference in the scorching heat on the ice rink. Karl Mahrer has now officially replaced Gernot Blümel as ÖVP boss in Vienna.
It is 31 degrees in front of the Kagran ice rink and it is also subtropically warm inside. 1500 guests came to the 37th party congress of the Vienna ÖVP. There are schnitzel sandwiches, mineral water and sweet macaroons. The participants fan each other out with the cards. The spotlights on the ceiling glow turquoise. Karl and Karl (Nehammer and Mahrer) march in together. Standing ovation.
It is important to choose Gernot Blümel’s successor as leader of the strongest opposition party. The opening is held by an Orthodox priest dressed in black. He prays for the “dead in Ukraine, for the dead of the ÖVP” and – rather smugly in the face of the turbulence of recent years – for an “end to corruption”. A string orchestra plays the national anthem. Wolfgang Bowl is one of the guests of honor. The former chancellor received almost as much applause as Gernot Blümel. State manager Markus Keschmann praises the former finance minister about the clover: “You transfer a strong people’s party. We are furious if you are wronged.”
Nehammer: ‘Mahrer has the ability to bring people together’
Peter L. Eppinger rushes through the rows and gets city council members in front of the camera. In the meantime, a Vespa will be raffled off. Then the chancellor comes on the podium. Why does he think Karl Mahrer is the right chairman? “He has the ability to bring people together,” says Nehammer. He praises the ex-police officer as a security expert who stands up for the interests of the citizens. When the Greens wanted to disarm the police, Mahrer resolutely opposed it.
The 67-year-old finally has his say: why does he get involved in politics? “For love” (to the people, the party). He wants to open the black-turquoise lake. “We are the new Graezel party.” Each of the 248 district councilors is personally responsible for their Graezel. The Viennese SPÖ easily get their fat (“decreased”). And the new boss tells about a Somali family with four children who – although they have been in Austria for years – hardly speak German and do not want to integrate. Blame the ignorance of the red-pink city government. Mahrer explains, “Criticizing Vienna is not Vienna bashing.”
the cake thing
And then there was the matter of the cake. Are women in charge of the stove and men in charge of the home office? Best VPler Laura Sachslehner (“don’t bake cakes”) and Elisabeth Olicar (“like to bake cakes”) agree that this was poorly worded. Karl Mahrer received 94.2 percent approval.
Source: Krone
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