Upper Austria Social Democrats launch 2027 campaign with call to act

The Social Democratic Party of Upper Austria (SPÖ) has launched its campaign for the 2027 state election with the slogan “Act now instead of putting it off.” ORF reported that leading candidate Martin Winkler used the launch on Wednesday to criticise the governing coalition of the Austrian People’s Party (ÖVP) and the Freedom Party (FPÖ) over energy and housing.

Winkler said the coalition was wasting valuable time by failing to advance proposals, including the expansion of affordable, sustainable energy such as wind power. The SPÖ also said federal funding from a one-billion-euro housing programme was not being used, hindering housing development.

State party manager Nicole Trudenberger raised concerns about municipal finances. She said 228 of Upper Austria’s 438 municipalities could not balance their budgets in 2026. The SPÖ also criticised the state levy on municipalities, saying it amounted to 927 euros per person, the highest rate in Austria.

Katharina Sperz, head of the SPÖ’s Young Generation in Upper Austria, called for an “affordability guarantee” for young people’s housing to make rent increases more predictable.