René Schachner urges direct election of Austrian Wirtschaftskammer heads

René Schachner, MSc., a member of the board of the libertarian business group Freiheitliche Wirtschaft, is calling for a fundamental reform of the election rules governing Austria’s Wirtschaftskammer (Economic Chamber). He argues that the current system, in which presidents and the chamber’s parliamentary bodies are chosen indirectly, leaves entrepreneurs without real influence over their statutory representation.

Schachner says that any genuine reform must combine the abolition of compulsory membership with a transparent, fair voting process that allows business owners to elect the chamber’s leadership directly. He warned that “this democratic imbalance must finally be ended,” and that merely replacing individuals without changing the voting system would only preserve the status quo.

The proposal targets the democratic deficit in the chamber’s governance and seeks to give small and medium‑sized enterprises a stronger, more accountable voice.