Rudi Fußi, a prominent PR consultant and long-time member of the Social Democratic Party of Austria (SPÖ), has announced his intention to challenge the current SPÖ leader, Andreas Babler.

This move comes in the wake of the SPÖ's disappointing performance in the recent national elections, where they placed third for the first time in the Second Republic's history.

Fußi, who has previously supported Babler, now criticizes the party's direction and aims to initiate a leadership contest.

To trigger a direct election, Fußi needs to gather approximately 13,900 signatures from SPÖ members across four federal states within three months.

A press conference is scheduled for Wednesday, where Fußi is expected to outline his plans and political vision, potentially reigniting internal debates within the party.