Austria's Chancellor Karl Nehammer can't get out of the negative headlines.
First there was the affair surrounding his bodyguards, who allegedly got drunk with Nehammer's wife Katharina and were later involved in a car accident.
Then the unsuccessful trip to Vladimir Putin in Moscow, which brought Nehammer international criticism.
And finally, several unsuccessful public statements, for example at the ÖVP party conference in May, where Nehammer greeted the delegates with the words: “So many in a small room also means so many viruses – but now we don’t care anymore.”
Resignation or new elections?
Nehammer's missteps come at the worst possible time for his party.
The ÖVP is in a deep crisis, it plummets in polls and, with around 20 percent, is only in third place behind the SPÖ and the far-right FPÖ.
A rumor has been circulating in Vienna for days: Karl Nehammer's resignation is said to be imminent.
The tabloids even speak of a "secret plan" with which the ÖVP wants to overthrow the chancellor.
Officially, the People's Party strictly rejects the speculation.
So is it just a sham debate to fill the political summer slump?
Or does the ÖVP risk another change of leadership after Chancellors Sebastian Kurz and Alexander Schallenberg in order to stop the downward trend?
Are there even new elections in Austria at the end?
In this episode of "Inside Austria" we talk about what's behind the rumors about Karl Nehammer's resignation.
We look at who the ÖVP could make chancellor instead - and whether personnel changes can solve the problems of the ÖVP.
In the weekly podcast “Inside Austria”, SPIEGEL and STANDARD look together at the big and small scandals in Austria.
Together with journalists from both editorial offices, we reconstruct cases and events that move the country.
We look into political abysses, follow the investigations into the cause of Sebastian Kurz and his ÖVP.
And inform about an important Austrian topic of the week.
