Greens name former vet as chamber election lead candidate

The Carinthian Greens have named former large-animal veterinarian Karlheinz Gigler as their lead candidate for the Agricultural Chamber election on October 25, ORF reported Friday. The party is seeking a second seat in the chamber, where the current balance of mandates has left it at a stalemate.

Many family-run farms are under growing pressure from rising operating costs, extreme weather and uncertain prices. Gigler runs a suckler-cow farm and manages his own alpine pasture land in Malta. He has also served as a chamber councillor for two and a half years.

Gigler said his work as a veterinarian brought him into regular contact with farmers dealing with issues such as farm succession and conflicts between generations. He said that experience had shown him where farmers needed support.

The Farmers’ Association holds 18 of the chamber’s 36 seats, Gigler said, making it difficult for any faction to pass motions without support from others.

The Greens also want to end the chamber president’s entitlement to a supplementary pension, which party leader Olga Voglauer said had already been abolished in many Austrian provinces. She argued that a declining number of farms should not have to fund a pension for the president that requires no contributions.

The party also reiterated calls for fair conditions for family farms, clear origin labelling and stronger support for sustainable agriculture.