Peter Eder elected as new state chairman of the Salzburg SPÖ

Key Policy Priorities

In his speech, Eder outlined the key policy priorities of his term: affordable housing, health and care, early childhood education, family, and integration. On housing, he spoke out in favour of reintroducing the housing construction fund and an active land policy by the state. In health policy, he wants to place greater focus on prevention, introduce a waiting-time management system, and improve patient guidance. Eder said: "Und wir haben die Rezepte. Wir sind diejenigen, die Probleme lösen wollen und nicht Probleme für Menschen machen. Und wir werden gemeinsam die Menschen überzeugen, wie sexy die Sozialdemokratie ist. Wir formen ein Salzburg für alle Salzburgerinnen und Salzburger."

On the topic of integration, Eder said: "Wer in Österreich leben will, der hat Gleichberechtigung zu leben. Das darf man sagen. Da geht nicht um rechts oder links, sondern um eine faire Teilhabe an der Gesellschaft, die jemand nicht hat, der sprachliche Defizite hat." Even as mayor, he had called for faster procedures, orderly return options, quick German courses, and rapid access to the labour market. The "unsoziale Politik der rechtskonservativen Landesregierung" only calls for a social conscience, Eder said. He also stated that the party would commit itself "mit aller Kraft und Entschlossenheit" to the current draft of the pay transparency law.

Broadly Structured Party Leadership

Eder announced that he wanted to structure the party leadership broadly: Alongside him, six deputies are to take over the leadership, including state parliament member Bettina Brandauer, who was already part of the interim leadership trio, Oberndorf mayor Georg Djundja, state parliament member and SPÖ women's chair Karin Dollinger, the mayor of St. Johann im Pongau Eveline Huber, state secretary Michaela Schmidt, as well as Alexander Stangassinger, the mayor of Hallein, Salzburg's second-largest city. All deputies were elected with over 95 percent.

Alluding to his local railway ride in the autumn, the designated party leader said the social democratic train had already departed: "Und 2028 fahren wir pünktlich im Bahnhof Chiemseehof ein, und wir lassen uns nicht mehr stoppen." The Chiemseehof is the seat of the Salzburg state government. The next state election in the federal state of Salzburg will take place in spring 2028. Given the state government's policies, it will not be difficult to convince the people, Eder said.

Course Towards the 2028 State Election

Federal party chairman and Vice Chancellor Andreas Babler, who had also come to St. Johann im Pongau, highlighted in his speech all the areas in which the SPÖ had left a social democratic mark in the current three-party coalition, even though "inhaltlich nicht lustig ist mit zwei Koalitionspartnern, die vieles völlig konträr sehen". On the topic of migration and integration, "haben wir zu lange weggeschaut", Babler said. "Jeder Mann muss mitkämpfen, eine der größten Ungerechtigkeiten zu entfernen." One must take the issue away from the FPÖ; anything else is "Gift für die Gesellschaft".

Federal Party and Historical Context

State secretary Gerald Forcher had opened the convention with a programmatic speech: "Heute schlagen wir ein neues Kapitel auf, wir schlagen einen neuen Weg ein. Heute geht es um die Richtung, um die Klarheit, und wie stark wir ab heute auftreten wollen. Mit klaren Inhalten, mit starken Frauen und Männern und mit dem Mut, Dinge anders zu machen und anders zu denken. Die Salzburger SPÖ, sie lebt wieder, und wir alle wollen mehr."

The Salzburg SPÖ was part of the state government for many decades and, with Gabi Burgstaller from 2004 onwards, also provided the state governor for nine years. Following a financial scandal, it was pushed into opposition for the first time in 2013, where it remains to this day. Voter support had declined in every election since 2004, when the SPÖ had reached over 45 percent, and fell to 17.9 percent in 2023 — for the first time and significantly — below the 20-percent mark, dropping to third place. With Eder taking office, the party is connecting the hope of a return to the state government in the 2028 state election.