“The situation is deplorable!” Doskozil issues Babler an ultimatum
Austria's SPÖ (Social Democratic Party of Austria) is facing growing internal tensions after Burgenland Governor Hans Peter Doskozil publicly warned party leader Andreas Babler that leadership changes could become unavoidable if the party fails to reverse its declining poll numbers.
Speaking in an interview with ORF, Doskozil said the party urgently needs to regain public trust and start winning elections again. He argued that continuing with the current strategy is no longer acceptable, pointing to internal polling that reportedly places the SPÖ at just 13–14% support, with some underlying figures said to be even weaker.
Doskozil described the party's current condition as "pathetic" and said the leadership must provide answers quickly. He warned that if Babler cannot successfully turn the situation around, there should be personnel consequences, including the possibility of the party leader stepping down.
Asked whether he would challenge Babler again for the party leadership, Doskozil avoided giving a direct answer. Instead, he said his priority remains governing Burgenland, but stressed that he cannot ignore developments within the federal party because he does not want to enter future election campaigns under the current circumstances.
The remarks have intensified speculation about the future of the SPÖ leadership as pressure mounts over the party's poor polling performance. While Babler has not announced any leadership changes, Doskozil's public criticism highlights deep divisions within the party and increases pressure on the leadership to improve its standing before upcoming elections.