“I do not accept a mandate from the council” «kleinezeitung.at

The deputy mayor of Vienna will remain the leader of the Green Party, but will not accept her seat on the council. Birgit Hebein’s lack of power in the town hall club eventually turned fatal.

Since Peter Schöggl | 2:14 pm, November 18, 2020

The first woman of the Vienna Greens, Birgit Hebein will remain party leader. However, he will resign from his seat on the council, as he announced in a Facebook post Wednesday afternoon: “It is important to me that the Greens make a credible policy. If the majority of the Green Club in the council no longer have any confidence in me, then I will not accept my seat on the council. – because I don’t do things by halves. “

He justified his decision to remain party leader in his written statement: “The opposition now faces us with new political, social and content challenges. We will face it together with the hundreds of activists from the Vienna Green Party and civil society. my contribution as party leader. “

Loss of internal confidence

Leader of the party elected just two years ago, led Birgit hebein in October the best result in the history of the Vienna Greens. On top of that she walked away most green preferential votes. However, the move into opposition is imminent and Hebein is not part of the self-proclaimed “future team” that the Greens are supposed to lead in their opposition role. This form after the club meeting on Monday David ellensohn as club boss in the town hall, in addition Peter kraus Y Judith Pühringer as non-executive councilors in the city senate.

That Hebein did not get any of the top spots to be awarded and is now the party leader in office. from deputy mayor to simple councilor is degraded, made waves within the match. Especially on social media, he was furious right after the election result was announced. The former secretary general of the Greens, Thimo fiesel, sees the decision as a “misstep” that is “difficult to understand both humanly and strategically.” He identifies voter fraud and fears a split in the party. The neoconciliar Viktoria spielmann wrote about a decision against the will of the rank and file.

Winner without domestic power

In fact, one can argue in this direction. In 2018, Hebein became the main candidate and successor to Maria Vassilakou elected to the party leadership. Hebein was a surprise winner of a three-way battle emerged. His opponents were Ellensohn and Kraus of all people. He also owes the victory to the electoral system, because the Vienna Greens are converting a so-called “Instant Runoff” Procedure to. Voters don’t just vote for one candidate, they rank others behind based on their preference. The winner is usually a compromise candidate, not the one with the most first votes.

In the vote two years ago, Kraus got the most first votes, but Hebein ultimately won most of the ballots. in the front rows it was lined up. Around 2,500 people participated in the elections at that time. This week only the 16-member club voted and assigned the positions. The winning commitment of the base no power in the little town hall club it is a grateful narrative. Hebein herself has already admitted that she focused a lot on her position as deputy mayor and “little about the internal dynamics of the club”. What dynamics it could have been could not be learned from the Greens.

In the end, disempowerment should be seen as a symptom of role change. Hebein has been the town for the last few months decisively. The SPÖ and Neos government program contains many green ideas, including the city center with quiet trafficthat Hebein wanted to implement before the elections. You, at the head of the opposition to this program, would be damaging the credibility of the group.