Markus Gstöttner appointed ÖVP General Secretary

Markus Gstöttner took office on 1 August 2026 as the new General Secretary of Austria’s centre‑right Austrian People’s Party (ÖVP). In a televised interview he outlined the party’s economic course, noted its low poll numbers and discussed recent disciplinary actions, including the exclusion of Walter Ruck and the relationship with FPÖ leader Herbert Kickl.

Gstöttner, a Vienna native who studied and worked in England, spent time on a development project in India and completed his basic military service before entering politics as a city councilor and cabinet member. He described himself as a “Christian‑social” Austrian and reiterated the ÖVP’s core values: individual freedom, a regulated market economy, security, and a firm stance on illegal migration while supporting Austria’s EU membership.