The sparsely occupied ranks of the SPÖ at the speech of the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj in Parliament “did not give a good picture”, said SPÖ party leader Pamela Rendi-Wagner today in the ORF “Report”. But only two ÖVP government members were present. “That’s not a good picture either” and “a little thin,” said Rendi-Wagner. She “decidedly” rejected a Selenskyj-critical statement from SPÖ education spokeswoman Petra Tanzler.
When asked by “Falter” about her absence on Thursday – in addition to pointing out that it was an event by National Council President Wolfgang Sobotka (ÖVP) – she replied: “Apart from that, a speech by a warring head of state who conducts war propaganda, the unions in fought in his country and allegedly dropped cluster and phosphate bombs on innocent people, has no place in a parliament of a country that has declared itself neutral.”
“Unapologetic”
This statement was “fundamentally wrong” and “cannot be excused,” said Rendi-Wagner, “that is not the position of social democracy”. She pointed out that Tanzler is a “supporter of Doskozil” in the party’s internal leadership dispute – but also that Tanzler has since rowed back on the short message service Twitter. “I would like to make it clear that I condemn Russia’s war of aggression against #Ukraine and therefore voted on numerous resolutions that were passed in the National Council. I stand by the aid to Ukraine and the sanctions against Russia,” she said a few hours after publishing her reply to Falter.
Since the start of the Russian attack, the SPÖ’s position has been that it cannot be justified, that the SPÖ’s solidarity with Ukraine is “inevitable,” emphasized Rendi-Wagner. She herself was ill – with a fever and a bad cold – and was therefore not present at the speech. Criticism, they did not have the club in their hands, they rejected with reference to the illness, but also to the voluntary participation in the event.
Member survey as “orientation”
Regarding the SPÖ member survey, Rendi-Wagner emphasized – also in response to criticism from Burgenland’s governor Hans Peter Doskozil on the procedure – that she would “certainly not interfere” in the processes, these are a matter for the independent election commission. As for the run-off election requested by the third candidate, the mayor of Traiskirchen, Andreas Babler, she reminded her of the statutes. As a result, a member survey gives an “orientation” about the will of the members, but the democratically legitimized decision falls at the federal party conference.
The SPÖ leader critically noted that the two competitors – if they don’t become federal party leaders – “will comfortably retire” to their political offices. In this case, she herself would “draw an honest line” and immediately leave the political arena. But of course she hopes to get the trust of the majority of the members.
