Walter Ruck expelled from Austria's ÖVP party

The Austrian People's Party (ÖVP) voted unanimously to expel Walter Ruck, president of the Vienna Chamber of Commerce and head of the ÖVP Economic Bund, after leaked conversation transcripts surfaced containing alleged sexist remarks and statements deemed incompatible with the party’s values. The party’s ethics council recommended sanctions up to exclusion, and the federal executive, led by Christian Stocker, confirmed the decision following a two‑hour video‑call.

Ruck has refused to resign from his chamber and economic‑bund positions and announced that he will appeal the party’s decision. The Vienna Chamber of Commerce said it will consider a legal challenge, while the Economic Bund maintains that Ruck can remain an extraordinary member despite his party exclusion. Vienna ÖVP chief Markus Figl emphasised that Ruck is no longer part of any party committees, calling any claim otherwise “absurd”.

Other parties welcomed the exclusion: NEOS secretary Douglas Hoyos called it a necessary signal, and the FPÖ and the Greens demanded a complete removal of Ruck from all offices, describing the affair as evidence of a “black‑red self‑service system”.