Luger: “The FPÖ is certainly not a workers’ party in Upper Austria”

Mayor and state elections are pending in Upper Austria. The Mayor of Linz Klaus Luger (SPÖ) speaks of a difficult role that the SPÖ has in Upper Austria. Despite the proportional representation system, the party would only play “a subordinate role”. After “the election fiasco” of 2015 and 2017, Luger now hopes that the reconstruction has been successful. “I do my work in Linz,” he says.

Although labor market policy is a federal responsibility, the municipality can make its contribution: To combat youth unemployment, the city of Linz has tripled the number of holiday jobs and created 50 new apprenticeship positions. He is against nationalization when it comes to maintaining the MAN site, but he thinks a lot of employee participation, and discussions are ongoing at Borealis too, according to Luger.

“Haimbuchner is more moderate”

In an industrial location like Upper Austria, the SPÖ would have to reach more voters, says Milborn. That wasn’t just the refugee movement in 2015, internal disputes in the SPÖ were also to blame, says Luger. “The FPÖ is certainly not a workers’ party in Upper Austria,” says Luger, saying that it is also elected by all sections of the population in agricultural districts.

The FPÖ Upper Austria boss Manfred Haimbuchner, who left the party presidency on Monday and Herbert Kickl did not vote, is more moderate than Herbert Kickl, says Luger. Haimbuchner is a level-headed politician who has tried to distance himself from “all forms of right-wing extremism”. Luger also believes that Haimbuchner is “strategically so well-versed” that Kickl will not campaign in Upper Austria. From the FPÖ in Upper Austria “no such statements” about Corona would have been heard, as from Kickl.

For the federal party of the SPÖ, Luger would like Pamela Rendi-Wagner to be re-elected. Regarding the regular criticism of Burgenland Governor Hans Peter Doskozil of the party leader, Luger says: “I understand sensitivities, but they shouldn’t play such a role in our job”. You don’t always have to comment on everything.