Greens to Elect New Leadership on June 29

The Austrian Green Party is set to elect a new leadership team during its federal congress scheduled for June 29 at the Messe Wien. Applications for the position of party leader will open on May 4 and close on June 1. Current party leader Werner Kogler has announced his decision to step down and will not seek re-election.

Among the potential successors, former Climate Protection Minister Leonore Gewessler is considered a frontrunner. She has gained significant popularity within the party, particularly after her bold support for the EU's renaturation law, which sparked a coalition crisis with the People's Party (ÖVP). Gewessler has expressed a cautious stance regarding her candidacy, emphasizing the strength of the party's potential candidates and the collaborative decision-making process that will take place.

During the upcoming congress, 265 delegates will have the responsibility of electing a new party leader and six members of the federal board, including the federal finance officer, all for a three-year term. Kogler has led the party since taking over after the disappointing results of the 2017 National Council elections. Under his leadership, the Greens entered federal government for the first time in 2020. Kogler's previous election results have been notable, securing over 99% and 96% of delegate votes during his initial and most recent elections, respectively, without facing any challengers.

The Green Party's performance in the 2024 National Council elections yielded 8.24% of the vote, reflecting a decrease of 5.66 percentage points, prompting the need for new leadership to navigate future political challenges.