13. 01. 12. - 16:00

Helping hand for ÖVP Vienna

Manfred Juraczka, chief-elect of the Viennese People’s Party (ÖVP) has revealed that ex-Vice Chancellor Erhard Busek is counselling his faction.

Juraczka, set to be named new head of the party in its next summit, told Die Presse today (Fri) that Busek agreed to discuss various issues with his team. The Viennese ÖVP is currently trying to reposition itself after suffering a bitter defeat in the most recent city parliament election. The conservative party garnered only 13.9 per cent in the October 2010 ballot. It was its lowest level of support in the capital since the end of the war. The ÖVP claimed 18.8 per cent in the city election of 2005 when European Commissioner Johannes Hahn headed its campaign.

Juraczka said about the talks with Busek that it was of "great importance to learn from his experience". Busek headed the party’s Viennese branch in the 1980s before becoming federal ÖVP leader and vice chancellor in a coalition with the Social Democrats (SPÖ). The ÖVP was never more popular in Vienna than under the leadership of Busek – who warned in a recent interview he registered signs indicating a demise of the ÖVP’s Viennese and Carinthian departments.

Recent public opinion polls show that the ÖVP would garner less than 10 per cent if residents of Vienna were asked to elect a new city parliament. The Freedom Party (FPÖ) of Heinz-Christian Strache – which strongly grew in the most recent vote – could be sure of a strong result while the Alliance for the Future of Austria (BZÖ) is given no chance to make it into city hall. The BZÖ is the FPÖ’s major right-wing rival. It recently tried to move into the political centre to attract disappointed ÖVP voters.

Vienna got its first SPÖ-Greens government after the city election of 2010. Both of the parties had to accept losses in the ballot. ÖVP and FPÖ claimed the coalition would not manage to convince a considerable number of residents of the city to switch to public transport by changing the prices of some tickets. A single ticket for U-Bahn trains, trams and buses will cost two Euros from May instead of 1.80 Euros. Eight-day passes will cost 33.80 Euros, up from 28.80 Euros. Weekly tickets will cost 15 instead of 14 Euros while the price for annual passes is set to decline from 449 to 365 Euros.

ÖVP Vienna whip Fritz Aichinger recently said the city coalition was doing nothing but raising various fees and charges. Aichinger claimed the Viennese government should concentrate on measures ensuring the competitiveness of the city as a business location. He suggested spending a certain share of the revenues generated from the U-Bahn tax on science projects and research initiatives.

Juraczka appealed on the SPÖ-Green Party administration to evaluate its current business concept. The Hernals district councillor said he doubted whether there was any sense in holding stakes in electricity and gas provider Wien Energie and the federal capital’s leading funeral service firm. Juraczka said selling the shares to private enterprises should be seen as an option worth considering.