Markus Figl becomes the new chairman of the Vienna ÖVP – party conference on Saturday!

Markus Figl becomes the new chairman of the Vienna ÖVP – party conference on Saturday!

Next Saturday, the 38th Ordinary State Party Conference of the ÖVP Vienna will take place in the cozy Ankerbrotfabrik, and it promises to be an exciting event for the Viennese political landscape. On this day, Markus Figl will be officially elected as the new party leader, succeeding Karl Mahrer, who resigned after the disappointing election defeat in April. In this Vienna election, the ÖVP suffered heavy losses, with a vote share that fell below 10%, which shook up the troops, as [MeinBezirk](https://www.meinbezirk.at/wien/c-politik/figl-soll-am-samstag-als-oevp-wien-chef-bestaetigt- Werden_a7649068) reports.

Figl had already been introduced as the designated mayor after the election and fought his way to the top of the Vienna People's Party in a close race against Daniel Resch. Until the election there will be an appearance by Federal Chancellor Christian Stocker, who will outline his visions and ideas for the near future together with Figl. Around 400 delegates and well-known guests are expected in the atmospheric ambience of the Expedithalle in Absberggasse in the 10th district, a real political event for the Viennese.

New leadership team

Markus Figl is not only optimistic about his new role, but in his opinion the Vienna ÖVP has the opportunity to reorient itself due to its traditional history. “We have a good hand for the future and are relying on a more efficient structure in our executive board,” explains Figl. Three deputies and one deputy were also nominated in the election for the new positions: Elisabeth Olischar, Johanna Zinkl, Daniel Resch and Wolfgang Ulm as finance officer. The decision that federal ministers are not automatically represented in the ÖVP Vienna presidium shows a remarkable rethinking within the party, as Vienna.at informs.

The restructuring of district politics could not only provide a breath of fresh air, but also bind the 30,000 members more closely to the party. The Vienna ÖVP, founded in 1945, has an eventful history behind it. This change goes hand in hand with the reduction in party funding due to the loss of votes and the announced staff reductions that were necessary after the election debacle.

A look at the future

A quiet change of course or even a radical change? The Vienna People's Party will have to position itself well in the coming months. The focus will be on issues such as performance, security and integration, which were highly relevant under the previous party leader Gernot Blümel. For Markus Figl, who does not have a seat in the town hall, it is important to remain active in the district and win back voters. Historically, the ÖVP Vienna has elected a total of 15 chairmen to the top since 1945, including some who only held the reins for a short time. It remains to be seen whether Figl will be one of the long-term bosses. An essential part of his plan is to expand the voter base and strengthen core competencies so that his messages will continue to be heard in the future, as can be read on the Wikipedia page.

Markus Figl is now required. With a breath of fresh air and a new strategy, the Vienna People's Party is on the threshold of a decisive phase. The party congress will show whether he can send the necessary signals to regain the trust of the population and overcome the challenges facing the party.