The five-member committee’s decision was made after around three hours of deliberations. The former Tyrolean SPÖ leader Georg Dornauer left open a possible appointment to the federal party executive committee.
No party mercy for Georg Dornauer: On Monday, after its second and final meeting in Innsbruck, the arbitration tribunal of the Tyrolean SPÖ rejected the appeal of the former deputy governor and former state party leader against his exclusion from the party and confirmed the latter for behavior damaging to the party. This decision by the five-member committee was made after around three hours of deliberations. Dornauer left open a possible appeal to the federal party executive committee.
The 43-year-old explained after the meeting at the state party headquarters that he would comment on this question at a press conference in Innsbruck on Tuesday afternoon and was otherwise unusually taciturn. According to the federal party executive committee, there would be another possible appeal or another instance for Dornauer, namely the federal party conference. Only then would the exclusion be finally legally binding.
Before the start of the meeting at the state party headquarters, Dornauer made it clear once again that he expected “this unlawful decision to be repealed”. He also brought the infidelity investigations against former SPÖ Chancellor Alfred Gusenbauer into the meeting. For the first time in history, coercive judicial measures have been ordered against a local ex-head of government – and he can apparently still remain in the party. While at the same time the party wanted to get rid of him, Dornauer – even though he only insisted on “urgent social democratic principles”. In any case, on Monday SPÖ club chairwoman Elisabeth Fleischanderl was questioned by the five-member committee.
Meanwhile, the state party, which was again represented at the meeting on Monday by state manager Eva Steibl-Egenbauer, reacted with satisfaction. “The arbitration tribunal confirmed what was clear to us from the start: the exclusion was correct,” it said in a statement. The state party executive committee acted unanimously because there was a “deliberate violation of the rules”. “Rules apply to everyone – including Georg Dornauer. Anyone who moves away from the party’s principles over the years and ultimately breaks the common rules of the game bears the consequences themselves,” said the Tyrolean SPÖ under its chairman, Deputy Governor Philip Wohlgemuth.
They are now concentrating on “good government work” with the ÖVP and on ensuring that Tyrol “remains stable – and does not slip towards black and blue”, they wanted to go back to “business as usual”. Incidentally, the arbitration tribunal’s reasons were not published. This will be included in the judgment that will be served on the parties.
Dornauer was expelled from the party and parliamentary group in October 2025 because of his state parliament proposal last year to return 170 million euros in surplus profits from the state energy supplier Tiwag to the population as a special dividend. The state party leadership saw this as a “break in the coalition” or a breach of the coalition agreement; after all, the government partner ÖVP was strictly against such a measure. In addition, this does not represent a party position. It was the last straw that broke the camel’s back, they argued – and also accused Dornauer of uncollegial behavior since his forced resignation as party leader and deputy state governor in November 2024. Since his exclusion, the 43-year-old has been a freelance member of the Tyrolean state parliament.
Dornauer had already made it clear at the inaugural meeting of the arbitration court on February 21st that he considered the state party executive committee, which had excluded him, to be biased. The exclusion is “politically and legally unjustifiable and therefore not tenable.” The Federal Arbitration Court would actually clearly be responsible for him. His state parliament proposal not only represented an “original social democratic concern”, but was also in no way a breach of the coalition agreement. It was he who made the coalition pact with ÖVP governor Anton Mattle in 2022. Therefore, he “knows exactly what freedom I have been promised.”
In addition to the chairwoman, lawyer Ines Praxmarer, four assessors judged Dornauer. The state party appointed the ex-state deputy governor and former executive state party chairman Gerhard Reheis and the trade unionist Marc Deiser, the Oberndorf mayor Hans Schweigkofler and the official Regina Huber from Bad Häring were selected by Dornauer.
After the renewed red rejection, Dornauer’s general political future will again become the focus of interest. There have been rumors for a long time that the “political animal” could try with its own list in the state elections in autumn 2027. It would certainly be attractive for Dornauer, even if the likely prospect of five years as a small to medium-sized faction on the opposition bench in the Tyrolean state parliament would probably not be very exciting for him.
But Dornauer, who currently also works as a management consultant, is always good for surprises. It’s very possible that he’ll keep everything open and simmering for the time being. There would still be enough time. When it comes to appealing the arbitration tribunal’s decision, “yes or no”, there will certainly be an answer on Tuesday. (APA)
