Breaking news: Christian Kern to step down as SPÖ-leader

[Tender Branson]

BREAKING NEWS:

Former Chancellor and current Social Democratic Party leader Christian Kern to retire in 45 minutes.



https://derstandard.at/jetzt/livebericht/2000087598905/spoe-chef-christian-kern-tritt-zurueck

It is likely that his successor will be a woman (Pamela Rendi-Wagner or Doris Bures).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_Kern

Interesting.

Even though quite unexpected, I think over the past year Kern never really got accustomed to the role of opposition leader after being (a relatively good) Chancellor before that ...

[Tender Branson]

Kern just announced he'll become SPÖ-frontrunner for the EU elections next year and only then step down as SPÖ-leader ...

[🦀🎂🦀🎂]

What faction are his likely successors from?

[Tender Branson]

What faction are his likely successors from?

There are no real factions in the SPÖ, except maybe on immigration and integration and how to deal with the FPÖ (= totally oppose them, or enter some coalitions with them on the local level).

Both Pamela Rendi-Wagner (former Minister of Health and a highly-skilled doctor) and Doris Bures (former President of Parliament, now deputy President) are against co-operating with the FPÖ on any level and on immigration they are centrist or common-sense types like Kern himself (= immigrants have to follow the rules in the country or leave it, but they favour certain types of integration measures for those who are here). On other issues, I don't think there is a lot of differences between Rendi-Wagner and Bures.

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

Even though quite unexpected, I think over the past year Kern never really got accustomed to the role of opposition leader after being (a relatively good) Chancellor before that ...

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I can't shake the impression Kern was really screwed by becoming an unelected Chancellor with little over one year to go. You know, never got to fully spread out his wings.

Glad he's not retiring from politics altogether.

[Tender Branson]

It's possible that the SPÖ will present a (female) successor for Kern rather soon, because there is a planned party convention scheduled for early October, in which Kern would have been re-elected as party leader.

It is now unclear if the convention will go ahead as planned, or if it will be called off. Strategically, it would be better for the SPÖ if the convention is held as planned and a new party leader is voted on, rather than calling it off and setting one for mid-2019 - because the leadership uncertainty would drag along into the EU election campaign.

[Tender Branson]

Even though quite unexpected, I think over the past year Kern never really got accustomed to the role of opposition leader after being (a relatively good) Chancellor before that ...

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I can't shake the impression Kern was really screwed by becoming an unelected Chancellor with little over one year to go. You know, never got to fully spread out his wings.

Glad he's not retiring from politics altogether.

Kern was a good Chancellor for the year or so until mid-2017, when the election campaign started that led to his defeat. A few productive labour-market policies were implemented, especially for long-term and older unemployed (measures that ÖVP-FPÖ have killed off now).

But yes, Kern was screwed over from the beginning politically for a simple reason: SPÖVP was going on for too long already and it became an incestous political relationship. It was pretty clear in 2015/16, especially after the migrant invasion, that the SPÖ would be defeated at the polls and Kern would be gone as Chancellor. Also, as we all know, the ÖVP had no interest any longer to deal with Kern in another "grand" coalition. Too much nasty stuff happened between SPÖ and ÖVP over the years.

[Tender Branson]

Austrian centre-left ex-chancellor Kern to run for European Parliament

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https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-austria-politics-opposition/austrian-centre-left-ex-chancellor-kern-to-run-for-european-parliament-idUKKCN1LY2OI

[Tender Branson]

Btw: I would characterize Bures as a Hillary Clinton / Angela Merkel-esque kind of new SPÖ leader, being very experienced and someone who knows the party (= establishment politician).

Pamela Rendi-Wagner I would say is more of an outsider with the potential to modernize the party, similar to the Jacinda Ardern types of S-D politicians.

[DavidB.]

This is the sort of news that doesn't need its own thread. The Austrian thread is fine for this.