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Werner Faymann quits as Austrian chancellor Werner Faymann quits as Austrian chancellor
(35 minutes later)
Austrian chancellor Werner Faymann has resigned two weeks after his Social Democratic party (SPÖ) suffered a disastrous result in a presidential election. The Austrian chancellor, Werner Faymann, has resigned two weeks after his Social Democratic party (SPÖ) suffered a disastrous result in a presidential election.
Faymann, chancellor since 2008, had been under pressure from some in his party over his tough asylum policy and from others for wanting to keep a ban on forming coalitions with the anti-immigration Freedom party (FPÖ), whose candidate won the first round of the presidential vote last month on an anti-Islam and eurosceptic platform. Faymann, chancellor since 2008, had been under pressure from some in his party over his tough asylum policy and from others for wanting to keep a ban on forming coalitions with the anti-immigration Freedom party (FPÖ), whose candidate won the first round of the presidential vote last month on an anti-Islam and Eurosceptic platform.
In a statement issued after a party meeting Faymann announced his resignation both as chancellor and as head of the SPÖ. “This country needs a chancellor who has the party’s full support,” the statement said. In a statement issued after a party meeting, Faymann announced his resignation both as chancellor and head of the SPÖ. “This country needs a chancellor who has the party’s full support,” he said.
Austria has been braced for political turmoil ever since rightwing populist Norbert Hofer won a landslide victory for the FPÖ in the first round of the country’s presidential elections. Austria has been braced for political turmoil since rightwing populist Norbert Hofer won a landslide victory for the FPÖ in the first round of the country’s presidential elections.
Hofer defied pollsters’ predictions to beat the Green party’s Alexander Van der Bellen into second place, gaining 36% of the vote. The two candidates will go head to head in a run-off ballot on 22 May. Hofer defied pollsters’ predictions to beat the Green party’s Alexander Van der Bellen into second place, gaining 36% of the vote. The two candidates will go head to head in a runoff ballot on 22 May.
Faymann, who in March faced criticism from trade unionists and the SPÖ’s youth wing when he capped the number of people allowed to claim asylum in Austria, had also resisted calls from some in his party to cooperate with the FPÖ.Faymann, who in March faced criticism from trade unionists and the SPÖ’s youth wing when he capped the number of people allowed to claim asylum in Austria, had also resisted calls from some in his party to cooperate with the FPÖ.
“We need a decision about which direction to take, a new SPÖ, which doesn’t dither, zig-zags around, and tries to please everyone. It’s a mistake to politically exclude the FPÖ,” SPÖ lawmaker and unionist, Josef Muchitsch, told Profil magazine at the weekend. “We need a decision about which direction to take, a new SPÖ, which doesn’t dither, zig-zags around, and tries to please everyone. It’s a mistake to politically exclude the FPÖ,” Josef Muchitsch, an SPÖ politician and unionist, told Profil magazine at the weekend.
But others, such as Vienna’s influential mayor, Michael Häupl, who takes over as interim party leader, had supported Faymann.But others, such as Vienna’s influential mayor, Michael Häupl, who takes over as interim party leader, had supported Faymann.
The minister for the chancellory, Josef Ostermayer, suggested on Saturday the party could cooperate with the FPÖ on the provincial and municipal level - where much of the political power is held in federalised Austria - but keep separate at the national level. The minister for the chancellory, Josef Ostermayer, suggested on Saturday the party could cooperate with the FPÖ on the provincial and municipal level – where much of the political power is held in federalised Austria – but keep separate at the national level.
“It could go in this direction: the different levels - municipalities, provinces - decide for themselves if cooperation makes sense,” he told tabloid Öesterreich. “It could go in this direction: the different levels – municipalities, provinces – decide for themselves if cooperation makes sense,” he told the tabloid Öesterreich.
While president of Austria is mainly a ceremonial role, Hofer has threatened to make use of a right to dissolve parliament before the 2018 elections, warning other candidates in a TV debate that “you will be surprised by what can be done [by a president]”.While president of Austria is mainly a ceremonial role, Hofer has threatened to make use of a right to dissolve parliament before the 2018 elections, warning other candidates in a TV debate that “you will be surprised by what can be done [by a president]”.
A youthful 45-year-old who is partially paralysed after a paragliding accident, Hofer has campaigned for disability rights and is seen as having lent a friendly face to a party that balances virulently anti-immigration and Eurosceptic messages with leftist stances on welfare issues.A youthful 45-year-old who is partially paralysed after a paragliding accident, Hofer has campaigned for disability rights and is seen as having lent a friendly face to a party that balances virulently anti-immigration and Eurosceptic messages with leftist stances on welfare issues.
Many commentators say the crisis of the political establishment in Austria has much to do with the fact that the two centrist parties have governed the country in a “grand coalition” for the past 10 years.Many commentators say the crisis of the political establishment in Austria has much to do with the fact that the two centrist parties have governed the country in a “grand coalition” for the past 10 years.