On the occasion of this year’s National Council election, the “Krone” examines all parties in a special digital format. The SPÖ starts on May 1, Labor Day. Eight years ago today, former Chancellor Werner Faymann was booed on Vienna’s Rathausplatz. An event that still resonates today. Since then, the issue of the right party leadership has been a common thread through the Social Democrats. This was followed by “three and a half” new presidents, numerous disputes and bitter losses in several rounds of voting. A red flashback.
In 2016, the Wiener Schnitzel cost less than ten euros in many cafes, inflation was 0.9 percent, Marcel Hirscher was still the overall World Cup winner for Austria and Werner Faymann was SPÖ boss and chancellor. At least at the beginning of the year. Since Faymann took over the party in 2008, the Social Democrats have lost votes in 18 of 20 elections. As a result of the poor result of the SPÖ candidate Rudolf Hundstorfer – he obtained only 12.54 percent in the first round of the federal presidential elections – critical voices within the Social Democrats became increasingly louder. There were intensive and partly public discussions within the party, which culminated on May 1, 2016, exactly eight years ago, during the traditional, festive march on Vienna’s Rathausplatz.
Source: Krone
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