• croatiantimes.com
• romaniantimes.at
• salzburgtimes.at
• viennatimes.at
• austrianindependent.com

Today

• Vienna - VESCC English Catholic Mass
• Vienna - Unknown Underground
• Vienna - Cats
• Vienna - Andy Warhol
• Vienna - Laser Tag

© ÖVP

26. 02. 10. - 15:00

• more General News news
• RSS Feed General News

26. 02. 10. - 15:00

ÖVP and Greens end presidential election candidate rumours

Both the People’s Party (ÖVP) and the Greens announced yesterday (Thurs) they would not nominate their own candidate in the upcoming presidential elections.

Lower Austrian ÖVP Governor Erwin Pröll recently made clear he would not run for the post. The announcement was preceded by weeks of speculation since the governor is regarded as the only possible candidate to challenge incumbent president Heinz Fischer.

Federal ÖVP boss Josef Pröll yesterday said the party board had decided not to nominate a candidate. He claimed the main reason for the decision was that no incumbent president was beaten in Austria’s post-war history when he ran for a second term.

Analysts meanwhile said Pröll was hoping for better chances for his party to overtake the Social Democrats (SPÖ) in the next federal elections if, with Fischer, a former SPÖ minister is federal president.

Experts also pointed out that parties were not compensated their expenses in presidential elections – in contrast to federal and provincial elections depending on their success.

Erwin Pröll, uncle of Vice Chancellor Josef Pröll, did not attend yesterday’s meeting of the party board – a decision rated as a sign of disagreement with the federal ÖVP’s decision which was expected for some time.

Josef Pröll also said yesterday the ÖVP would not speak out in support of any other candidate.

The Green Party also made clear yesterday they would not nominate an own candidate for the 25 April election.

Party leader Eva Glawischnig said the upcoming provincial elections in Burgenland, Styria and Vienna had priority for the party.

Asked whether the party would back left-wing Fischer, she said: "We will very precisely check his points of view on several topics such as gender equality, human rights and immigration."

Heinz-Christian Strache, head of the right-wing Freedom Party (FPÖ), announced last month his party would send its own candidate in the running. "We will ensure Fischer does not have to go into the election campaign on his own," he said.

Barbara Rosenkranz, head of the party’s department in Lower Austria, is expected to be nominated. Several provincial FPÖ bosses have made clear they found her a suitable candidate. Rumour meanwhile has it Strache himself could run for president.

The Alliance for the Future of Austria (BZÖ) is still undecided over the issue.

Heinz Fischer has been tipped for a landslide victory since it became clear Erwin Pröll would not run for the post.

A very low participation in the vote is seen as the only factor that could harm his reputation during his second term which will last six years. Incumbent presidents are forbidden from running for a third term in office.

Fischer beat the ÖVP’s candidate Benita Ferrero-Waldner in 2004. He was SPÖ whip, Science Minister and president of the parliament.

Speaking about why he had decided to run for a second term, the 71-year-old claimed he had been encouraged by "many people with different political beliefs".

A recent OGM poll revealed 71 per cent of Austrians were "satisfied" or "very satisfied" with Fischer’s performance.

Austrian Times

Related articles: election news

1. BZÖ ends Stronach speculations

   » General News 2012-05-18

   The Alliance for the Future of Austria (BZÖ) has finally dismissed the circulating rumours about teaming up with a billionaire businessman.

2. Foreign minister rules out stop of support for Greece

   » General News 2012-05-18

   Austrian Vice Chancellor Michael Spindelegger has promised that the European Union (EU) will not let Greece down.

3. BZÖ farewell possible, poll shows

   » General News 2012-05-17

   The chances of the Alliance for the Future of Austria (BZÖ) to avoid dropping out of parliament are waning, according to a new poll.

more related articles tagged "election news"

Turks flattened by lone asylum seeker
A furious Nigerian went on the rampage at a refuge for asylum seekers in Leibnitz, attacking several people and damaging property.

Woman bites toddler
A woman who bit a two-year-old tot during a road rage row with her mother is being quizzed by police in Wiener Neustadt, Austria.

New Dany Boon comedy to be filmed in Austria
The French film star Dany Boon, one of the highest paid actors in Europe after his hit film "Welcome to the Sticks", is filming in Salzburg.

China meets Hallstatt
After a long time of speculation and anticipation the exact copy of Austrian world heritage village of Hallstatt-Dachstein in China will be unveiled, and there will be real-life Austrians present for the ceremony.

Skier in court after accident
A man from Graz is in court today accused of having inflicted negligent injury upon a five-year-old when skiing in Carinthia last year.

Two fires in Ottakring claim one life
Two fires started on Thursday evening in the Vienna district of Ottakring, one of which claimed a man’s life. Several people were evacuated as a result of the two blazes.

Cows zapped to death by lightning
Four cows were zapped to death after a lightning strike hit the barbed wire fence they were leaning on in Reith im Alpbachtal, Austria.

Wolf babies born in Schönbrunn
These cuddly Artic wolf cubs have got every right to look a bit frosty - after they emerged into the world for the first time in the middle of a 27 degree heatwave.

Cleaned Out
A Hungarian cleaning woman who stole tens of thousands of pounds worth of antique jewellery from an Austrian Countess and then sold it for "pocket money" unaware of its real value has been jailed by a court in Austria.

Great expectations for summer tourism season in Vorarlberg
The Vorarlberg tourism industry is currently riding high after a record breaking winter season, and the summer season is expected to follow that same trend.

Jobs in Austria