Schützenhöfer: – “You can only find out the truth outside with the people”

Two men in two new roles. One: Hermann Schützenhöfer, who recently announced his resignation as governor of Styria. The other: Councilor of State Christopher Drexler, who will take over as head of state in early July. Klaus Herrmann, editor-in-chief, and Oliver Pokorny, editor-in-chief of “Steirerkrone”, met the 70-year-old state father and the 51-year-old “politician of a new type”, both ÖVP, for the first interview after the change of power was announced.

‘I didn’t want a long successor debate’
Schützenhöfer, otherwise very self-assured, moody and self-assured, seems reserved and tense. Even more tense his successor. It is surprising that the two men have not yet found their new roles: because the transfer of the season, as they now admit, had been prepared down to the last detail for at least two and a half years.

Only the timing came as a surprise, even to the best party friends. The Chancellor and Chancellor Karl Nehammer was also informed by Schützenhöfer a few minutes before the announcement of the castling. The party board, which was eventually taken by surprise, had only one thing to do: agree to Schützenhöfer’s proposal and thereby accept Drexler. The governor is “proud of the orderly handover” and admits: “I didn’t want a long debate.”

Will Schützenhöfer, Austria’s last father, resign? “Yeah, he’s the last of his kind,” Drexler says. The addressee also sees it this way: “The type of father of the land will no longer exist.” His explanation: A father of the land needs “corresponding live weight and life experience”. He is reminiscent of the Styrian state elections in 2019: his former SPÖ challenger, the much younger and slimmer Michael Schickhofer, claimed to be the father of the state. Schützenhöfer: “That was an advantage for me – in terms of age and figure.” The Last Father of the Country puts this classification into perspective: it “always tore him apart, because father of the country, that is an honor on the one hand and too much of an honor on the other”.

‘At the age of 70 you look at the world differently and that’s a good thing’
We want to know what his successor will do differently, what he should do differently. Schützenhöfer thinks for a moment and says: “He will decide faster than I. I am a brother.” And then looks deeply: “I’m not stupid, but he was raised differently. He has a different view on cultural issues. I had to work hard for that.” Drexler had to rearrange the office in any case: “He’s going to do it very vigorously. It’s also a matter of age. At 70 you see the world a little differently than at 50, and that’s a good thing.” also.”

What does Drexler think about this? His goal is not to be governor for twenty years, “and whether I shall be regarded as paternal or brotherly, the future will tell.” While Schützenhöfer is seen in his state as affable, down-to-earth, easy-going and by most people as ‘one of us’, his designated successor is seen as an intellectual who can also come across as arrogant. Even Drexler’s mentor points offensively to this weakness when he repeatedly emphasizes, “But we still need to work on his popularity.”

How do you work on your popularity? Can you learn kinship? Schützenhöfer: “You mustn’t seem too wooden, you have to love the people. Because if I don’t like the people, the neighborhood party, the dedication of the altar and the following church party with grilled chicken and a beer mug get on my nerves. But if you like the people, you’re happy to be there.” He has always lived it that way, both in the countryside and in the cities. The “old” politician gives the new one: “You only get to know the truth outside of the people.”

The longer our conversation lasts, the stronger the impression becomes that we are sitting opposite two men from different worlds and different generations – who, on the other hand, are united by a political and personal friendship that has now lasted for three decades.

‘A politician must love people’
What friends do we want to know they have outside of Styria? “Within the party that is certainly Thomas Stelzer”, reveals Schützenhöfer. And outside the People’s Party? Then like a shot comes from the gun: “Michael Ludwig.”

His successor clearly has a harder time with this simple question. After some deliberation, he also admits: “I generally find it difficult to call my best friends. But I would describe Gust Wöginger as a very good friend.” So the current club president of the federal ÖVP, an Upper Austrian like Stelzer.

And outside your own party? “My God, we’ve lost some sizes,” Drexler says. To then mention a “friend”: “I’ve always had friendly, demanding contact with Peter Hacker.” So the left-wing Viennese SPÖ social and health councilor.

Schützenhöfer and Drexler did not mention the Styrian ÖVP minister Martin Polaschek. His appointment had caused a stir, it was said that it was a special wish of Schützenhöfer. Although he has cut a fairly good figure on the Viennese floor so far, Drexler enthusiastically stands up for his compatriot: “Martin Polaschek will prove to be a golden handle on education and school policy.”

‘Polaschek has caused a stir with his haircut’
Drexler also addresses the public debate over the — let’s call it striking — Polaschek’s haircut. He has now “found the right haircut”. Before Drexler reveals: “The way he looks now is what he looked like a while ago. He just didn’t have a hairdresser for a while and made a fuss about it as Rector of the University of Graz. But that has to happen to you sometime : That’s when Nehammer asks him if he wants to be a pastor. Karl just didn’t know what haircut Martin had.” Nehammer and Polaschek were somehow even lucky, because, according to Drexler, “Before that, as Vice Rector, Martin had a much more terrible haircut.”

Schützenhöfer and Drexler, two men in two new roles they have yet to find. The incumbent governor does not want to disappear completely from the scene after his final departure. “Perhaps I will accept a few honorary posts in the charitable and cultural sector and expel to the people as honorary chairman of the party.” But he rules out a political office: “I will hold back, not comment on daily politics and stand alone by Christopher, if he should ask me for advice.”

Will Drexler find it difficult to reconcile his new role as governor with his private life? “No. Because it is part of being a politician in the 21st century to reconcile politics, dedication, family and children on an equal footing.”