09. 01. 09. - 14:00

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09. 01. 09. - 14:00

Reinhart Gaugg to stand for BZÖ hot seat

Former FPÖ social spokesman Reinhart Gaugg said today (Fri) he would stand for election as BZÖ leader at its party day.

Gaugg, who was a long-time associate of late BZÖ leader and Carinthian Governor Jörg Haider, said a "circle" of party members had convinced him to run. Gaugg added he wanted to unify the party and prevent an outbreak of internal dissension.

Gaugg justified his decision to run on the grounds he had once been deputy FPÖ leader before the BZÖ split away from it in 2005 and been close to Haider.

Gaugg is the only declared candidate for the position of BZÖ leader but may not formally be able to stand for it.

BZO spokesman Heimo Lepuschitz said in a press release today: "Gaugg is not a BZÖ member and therefore cannot stand for election to a party position according to party statutes."

Lepuschitz added Gaugg’s announcement amounted to a Carnival joke. "It is but another failed attempt to hinder the BZÖ in its preparations for the Carinthian election," Leputschitz said.

Haider’s associate Stefan Petzner temporarily became party leader after Haider’s death in a car accident on 11 October 2008.

Former Defense Minister Herbert Scheibner, who succeeded Petzner a month later, reportedly wants BZÖ parliamentary whip Josef Bucher to become new party leader, but Bucher appears uninterested in the position.

Some BZÖ officials say the party will be able to concentrate on selection of a new leader only after the Carinthian provincial election on 1 March.

Austrian Times

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