Lercher urges quick decisions in SPÖ leadership crisis

Styrian SPÖ leader Max Lercher has called for swift decisions on the party’s leadership crisis and backed a meeting of regional party leaders, ORF reported Tuesday. Media executive Gerhard Zeiler is being discussed as a possible new party leader, while incumbent Andreas Babler has said he will not step down.

Lercher said the party still needed to decide how to handle the situation. He supported a proposal by the Carinthian SPÖ for regional party leaders to meet and discuss the issue constructively, but declined to publicly back either Zeiler or Babler.

He called for reconciliation and discipline within the party, and said decisions should be made this week to limit further damage. Lercher also said internal discussions should take place away from public scrutiny.

The SPÖ’s party executive is due to meet Wednesday. Lercher said he hoped it would agree on a unified position.