“To be honest, the values of social democracy are being trampled on here. This is simply not acceptable.” Peter Stummer, SP deputy mayor in Ried im Innkreis, is not mincing his words in the LIVA affair surrounding Linz mayor Klaus Luger (SP). The house visits planned for Wednesday for the National Council election have been cancelled – “what should we say to people?”
The case continued to cause controversy on Thursday. Criticism came from several quarters, and there was a lot of turmoil within the red base. For Stummer, Luger’s misconduct was clearly “corruption” and it was a huge slap in the face for the many SP officials who “bust their butts for the party day after day”. Luger’s resignation was “unavoidable”.
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Stummer is one of the few who wanted to make an official statement today. This also included Gerhard Hintringer, mayor of Steyregg. The most important principle as mayor must be to tell the truth and to be there for the citizens. The Linz case is depressing the officials, the optics are disastrous.
“Many people disappointed”
The leaders at state and federal level – both Michael Lindner and Andreas Babler – broke their silence this afternoon. Babler called on Luger to resign from his position as party chairman, saying that “such behavior” had no place in a social democracy under his leadership.
At this point, however, this withdrawal had already been decided – Lindner and Luger had already agreed on this that morning.
The situation is different with his role as mayor, which Luger is not giving up at this point. While Babler refrains from making a judgment here (“This decision is the responsibility of the Linz City Council”), Lindner is much more offensive. He condemned Luger for damaging himself and the credibility of the entire Social Democrats, but at the same time spoke out in favor of Luger remaining in his position as mayor. “I think it is right that Luger oversees this matter as mayor and contributes to the clarification.”
The withdrawal from all party political functions is a departure from the path that the Linz SPÖ had defined at its closed meeting on Wednesday. Pressure from the state and federal governments was probably the decisive factor here. Luger justified the change of direction via a press release by saying that he was painfully aware that he had disappointed many people with his behavior. He left several interview requests unanswered on Wednesday.
The withdrawal from all party political functions is a departure from the path that the Linz SPÖ had defined at its closed meeting on Wednesday. The pressure from the state and federal party was massive. The case was a topic of discussion in the online federal party presidium.
Luger justified the change of direction via a press release by saying that he was painfully aware that he had disappointed many people with his behavior. He left several interview requests unanswered today. In addition to the Linz party chairmanship, Luger is also leaving the state party committees. He only returned there in 2022.
Unclear succession
What will happen in the future is unclear. One scenario that is reportedly being discussed intensively is a change in autumn 2025. This would give Luger the opportunity to actively try to regain the trust that has been lost and to arrange the succession in peace.
However, it is said behind closed doors that nothing has been decided on this issue yet.
The question of whether and when Luger retires will also determine how the Linz party chairmanship will be filled. The options: an interim solution or the new mayoral candidate.
Criticism not only of Luger
Not only Mayor Luger himself, but the entire SPÖ is now attracting the displeasure of the other factions – across all levels of responsibility.
For Neos regional spokesman Felix Eypeltauer, it is absurd that the SPÖ no longer wants Luger as a party official, but wants the people of Linz to continue to burden him with his role as mayor.
Climate Minister Stefan Kaineder (Greens) is also calling on the Reds to immediately put an end to this undignified spectacle at the expense of Linz. For Greens General Secretary Olga Vogelauer, “the credibility of the entire SPÖ is now at stake.”
“Someone who does not even have a basic grasp of his own party cannot possibly become chancellor,” says FP General Secretary Michael Schnedlitz, who sees Babler as “helpless” and speaks of a “red farce.”
Source: Nachrichten
