Following the disagreement over whether ex-minister Norbert Darabos would enter the race as the EU candidate of the SPÖ Burgenland in fifth or seventh place on the list, the state party’s executive committee has made major budget cuts. There is no candidate from Burgenland at all. “It’s a shame,” Darabos said in an interview with “Krone.”
About the decision he literally said: “It’s a shame. I would have liked to have done it. As a former Minister of Defense, I could have achieved a lot in the EU.” And the Burgenlander is heavily critical of the SPÖ party leadership: “The federal party is doing itself a disservice by not putting Burgenland in fifth or sixth place. That was a kind of objective declaration of war. “Especially in these times when the SPÖ is not consolidated, Babler should have accommodated Doskozil,” said former minister Darabos.
The decision was taken “to send a clear signal” that certain rules must be observed, state governor Hans Peter Doskozil emphasized on Wednesday.
“Arguments swept away”
State politicians had insisted that Burgenland would be entitled to fifth place on the list based on the 2018 calculation model. However, the arguments for this were ‘wiped away’ by the federal party. The party board also briefly discussed an election campaign with preferential votes, but ultimately that was not an “option”. According to Doskozil, Darabos would have been “an excellent candidate”, who was also recognized outside Austria and had a lot of expertise in Southeastern Europe.
Federal party “regrets decision”
The decision on the place on the list also has consequences for party finances more broadly, because every EU mandate holder must pay a party fee to the state organization, Doskozil said. Officials would also be responsible for good election results and high membership numbers. “We regret Burgenland’s decision not to fill your seats,” the federal party said simply.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
