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Team K
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Team K (TK), named Team Köllensperger from its establishment in July 2018 to November 2019, is a political party active in South Tyrol, where it seeks to be an inter-ethnic centrist party.[4] Led by Paul Köllensperger, it is politically regionalist,[5] liberal,[6][7][8] and social-liberal.[5][9][10]
Key Information
The party, which is close to NEOS – The New Austria and Liberal Forum (NEOS), a like-minded liberal party, is an observer member of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Party (ALDE) and formed a pact with More Europe (+Eu) for the 2019 European Parliament election in Italy. In addition to social-liberal and environmentalist policies, TK advocates a pro-European stance,[11] and is supportive of direct democracy.[5]
History
[edit]The party was established on the 10 July 2018 by Paul Köllensperger, a member of the Landtag of South Tyrol.[12] Köllensperger was elected in the Landtag after the 2013 provincial election within the Five Star Movement (M5S).[13] In July 2018, he left the party accusing its leadership of not being interested in promoting enough South Tyrol's local interests and that it was necessary to establish a new party aimed at representing all the South Tyroleans looking for an inter-ethnic centrist party and aiming at breaking the absolute majority of the South Tyrolean People's Party (SVP).[14] In the 2018 provincial election the party obtained a successful 15.2% of the vote, arriving second after the SVP.[15]
In the run-up to the 2019 European Parliament election in Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, TK, which affirmed to be taking inspiration from Austria's NEOS party,[11] joined the ALDE party.[16][17][18][19][20] Consequently, it formed a pact with +Eu, ALDE's member party in Italy, and proposed Renate Holzeisen as its candidate.[21][22][11] The list came third with 11.2% of the vote in South Tyrol and Holzeisen was the second most-voted candidate in the province, gaining nearly 23,000 votes; she did not succeed in being elected as the list did not pass the 4% country-level electoral threshold.[23] Holzeisen later left the party and joined and joined Vita, focusing on opposing COVID-19 vaccines.[24]
In the 2023 provincial election, the party obtained 11.1% of the vote, while Holzeisen-led Vita won 2.6%.
In the 2024 European Parliament election, the party ran within Action, with Köllensperger as its candidate,[25] and obtained 6.8% of the vote.
Election results
[edit]Provincial Council
[edit]| Landtag of South Tyrol | |||||
| Election year | Votes | % | Seats | +/– | Leader |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 43,315 (2nd) | 15.2 | 6 / 35
|
–
|
Paul Köllensperger
|
| 2023 | 31,201 (2nd) | 11.1 | 4 / 35
|
||
European Parliament
[edit]| Election | Leader | Votes | % | Seats | +/– | EP Group |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Paul Köllensperger | Into More Europe | 0 / 76
|
New | – | |
| 2024 | Into Action | 0 / 76
|
||||
Leadership
[edit]- Leader: Paul Köllensperger (2018–present)
References
[edit]- ^ "Paul Köllensperger: 'Con una proposta moderata è stato possibile drenare il consenso dai partiti della destra tedesca verso il centro'" – via www.la7.it.
- ^ "Koellensperger, l'imprenditore verde ex M5s che ha convinto i moderati". Il Sole 24 ORE. 22 October 2018. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
- ^ Vytiska, Herbert (22 October 2018). "Südtirol: Erschütterung für alte Parteistrukturen". Retrieved 3 April 2019.
- ^ "Köllensperger lancia la sua lista: "M5S rigido"". Retrieved 3 April 2019 – via PressReader.
- ^ a b c Nordsieck, Wolfram (2018). "South Tyrol/Italy". Parties and Elections in Europe. Archived from the original on 30 December 2020. Retrieved 22 October 2018.
- ^ "Köllensperger si è messo in proprio". Alto Adige. 11 July 2018. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
- ^ Constantini, Simon (10 July 2018). "Köllenspergers neue 'liberale' Liste". Retrieved 3 April 2019.
- ^ Genossenschaft, Du bist Tirol. "Team Köllensperger stellt weitere Landtagskandidaten vor". unsertirol24.com. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
- ^ "Der Sammler in der Mitte". Salto.bz. 27 August 2018. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
- ^ Peter, Nindler (24 October 2018). "Nach Südtirol-Wahl: Kompatscher ringt nun um Regierung". Tiroler Tageszeitung Online. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
- ^ a b c "Renate Holzeisen tritt für "Team Köllensperger" bei EU-Wahl an". Südtirol Online. 5 April 2019.
- ^ "Chi è l'uomo politico che a Bolzano prende più voti di Salvini". Agi. 22 October 2018. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
- ^ "Paul Köllensperger molla i 5 stelle: Non voglio fare lo zerbino dell'Svp. Modello replicabile in Trentino? Dinamiche diverse". il Dolomiti. 17 July 2018.
- ^ "Köllensperger, noi alternativa a Svp - Trentino AA/S". ANSA.it. 22 October 2018. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
- ^ "Alto Adige: boom della Lega, in calo l'Svp. Vola il dissidente grillino. In Trentino vince Fugatti". LaStampa.it. 22 October 2018. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
- ^ "ALDE Party - Member Parties | ALDE Party". Archived from the original on 26 May 2019. Retrieved 6 April 2019.
- ^ "Il Team Köllensperger aderisce all'ALDE - liberali e democratici in Europa". 22 March 2019.
- ^ "Köllensperger incontra Bonino e aderisce all'Alde - TGR Bolzano". TGR. 21 March 2019.
- ^ "Il TeamK nell'Alde dei liberali europei - Bolzano". Alto Adige. 22 March 2019.
- ^ "Team K bussa, Alde apre". Salto.bz. 21 March 2019.
- ^ "Il Team Köllensperger punta su Renate Holzeisen per l'Europa - TGR Bolzano". TGR. 5 April 2019.
- ^ "Holzeisen kandidiert für das Team Köllensperger bei den EU-Wahlen".
- ^ Elezioni Europee del 2019 – Circoscrizione Trentino-Alto Adige, Ministero dell'Interno
- ^ "Scuola: Primo giorno sui banchi in Alto Adige, nella terra dei No Vax dove 20 prof si sono già dimessi". 6 September 2021.
- ^ "CasaAutonomia, Team K e Azione. Alleanza per l'Europa". 17 April 2024.
Team K
View on GrokipediaHistory
Founding and Initial Formation (2018–2019)
Team Köllensperger was established in July 2018 by Paul Köllensperger, who had served as a member of the South Tyrolean Provincial Council since his election in 2013 under the Five Star Movement (M5S). Köllensperger, a Bolzano native fluent in both German and Italian, departed from M5S citing the national party's failure to adequately address South Tyrol's unique regional challenges, including its bilingual context and autonomy demands.[5] [6] The formation positioned the group as a civic, non-ethnic movement focused on pragmatic, competence-based politics transcending traditional linguistic divides in the province. The party's initial platform emphasized transparency, efficient administration, and safeguarding local interests against national overreach, drawing support from voters frustrated with established parties like the dominant South Tyrolean People's Party (SVP) and M5S. In the provincial elections of October 21, 2018, Team Köllensperger participated as a new entrant and achieved notable success, garnering over 6% of the valid votes across language groups and securing three seats in the 35-member Provincial Council.[7] This outcome marked a breakthrough for the fledgling group, with Köllensperger topping preference votes and enabling the party to establish itself as a relevant opposition force.[8] During 2019, Team Köllensperger consolidated its presence by expanding its organizational structure and engaging in provincial debates on budget and policy matters, while maintaining independence from governing coalitions. In November 2019, the party rebranded to Team K, shifting emphasis from the founder's surname to a collective identity symbolizing collaborative governance. This period laid the groundwork for broader appeal among both German- and Italian-speaking electorates, prioritizing evidence-based solutions over ideological rigidity.[9]Expansion and Rebranding (2019–2023)
In November 2019, following its breakthrough performance in the October 2018 provincial election where it secured 6 seats in the 35-member Landtag of South Tyrol as the second-strongest party, Team Köllensperger rebranded to Team K.[6] The change aimed to de-emphasize founder Paul Köllensperger's personal name, promoting a collective "team" identity to attract broader support beyond individual leadership and across South Tyrol's linguistic divides, while maintaining focus on evidence-based, non-ethnic politics.[6] As the primary opposition force, Team K expanded its legislative footprint from 2019 onward, critiquing the ruling South Tyrolean People's Party (SVP)-led coalition on issues like administrative efficiency and inter-ethnic cooperation. The party advocated for associative conflict resolution models over traditional consociational ethnic quotas, positioning itself as a pragmatic alternative amid growing voter disillusionment with established autonomist structures. This period saw internal consolidation, with efforts to build local networks and policy expertise, though specific membership growth figures remain undocumented in public records. By 2023, Team K had established itself as a persistent player in South Tyrol's fragmented politics, entering the provincial election on October 22 with a platform emphasizing citizen-oriented reforms. The party retained parliamentary representation in a council expanded to include 12 groups, reflecting sustained but moderated appeal compared to its 2018 surge, as SVP losses redistributed votes among independents and centrists.[10]Recent Activities and Challenges (2023–Present)
In the provincial elections held on October 22, 2023, Team K emerged as the second strongest political list in South Tyrol, securing seats in the Provincial Council and positioning itself as a key opposition force.[11] The party's performance reflected voter dissatisfaction with the incumbent Südtiroler Volkspartei (SVP), which saw its vote share decline to 34%, amid broader shifts toward alternative voices on issues like autonomy and regional governance.[11] Following the vote, Team K opted for opposition, declining involvement in the governing coalition formed by SVP under Arno Kompatscher with right-leaning parties including Fratelli d'Italia and Die Freiheitlichen, which narrowed the majority's margin after internal adjustments in early 2024.[12] As opposition members in the Provincial Council, Team K has focused on oversight and policy critiques, submitting interrogations on topics ranging from media independence to administrative transparency. In January 2024, during Kompatscher's re-election session, Paul Köllensperger, the party's leader, publicly criticized the SVP's explicit alliance with far-right elements as evidence of the party's electoral decline and ideological shift.[13] The party extended its engagement to local levels, contesting the February 2024 municipal elections in Bressanone (Brixen), where it garnered 13.8% of the vote and won three council seats, contributing to a fragmented opposition against the SVP's mayoral victory.[14] In December 2024, Köllensperger accused Kompatscher of undue influence over provincial administration appointments, highlighting tensions over institutional independence.[15] Challenges since 2023 include limited leverage in a coalition-dominated legislature, where Team K's proposals on education and fiscal policy face resistance; for instance, in October 2025, amid a protracted dispute between the province and teachers' unions over contract renewals, the party called for immediate budget allocations to avert escalation, underscoring governance delays under the Kompatscher administration.[16] Internal cohesion and voter retention remain tests, as the party balances appeals to centrist, pro-autonomy constituencies against competition from ethno-nationalist groups like Südtiroler Freiheit, which doubled its support in 2023.[11] These dynamics have prompted Team K to emphasize evidence-based critiques of provincial spending and regulatory bottlenecks, positioning itself as a pragmatic alternative amid regional economic pressures.[16]Ideology and Policy Positions
Core Ideological Foundations
Team K espouses a centrist ideology rooted in civic patriotism, deliberately eschewing the ethnic-linguistic cleavages that dominate South Tyrolean politics, such as those between German-speaking, Italian-speaking, and Ladin groups. Founded in 2018 by Hanspeter Köllensperger, the party positions itself as a non-ethnic, inclusive alternative, prioritizing regional unity and competence-driven governance over traditional affiliations. This approach stems from a critique of entrenched favoritism and nepotism, with surveys indicating that approximately 80% of South Tyroleans perceive connections as conferring undue advantages in public administration and procurement.[17][1] At its foundation, Team K advocates good governance as a paramount principle, emphasizing transparency, accountability, and institutional reform to combat systemic inefficiencies. Key proposals include establishing a public lobby register, digitizing administrative processes for verifiable decision-making, and strengthening the provincial parliament's oversight role through mandatory impact assessments for legislation. The party frames these as essential to restoring public trust, arguing that opaque practices undermine democratic legitimacy in an autonomous region with significant fiscal powers. Direct democracy features prominently, with support for expanded referenda and citizen initiatives, exemplified by Team K's backing of the 2022 Volksbegehren petition drive to embed participatory mechanisms in regional law.[18] Social-liberal values underpin Team K's policy framework, integrating environmental sustainability with economic pragmatism and social equity. It promotes pro-European integration, viewing EU membership as vital for securing South Tyrol's autonomy and funding streams, while endorsing climate action through prioritized public transport and local agriculture preservation. Social policies focus on equitable resource allocation, such as a "Südtirol-Lohn" minimum wage benchmark tied to regional productivity and initiatives for 4,000 affordable housing units by 2030 to address shortages exacerbated by tourism-driven speculation. These elements reflect a commitment to the common good (Gemeinwohl), balancing individual rights with collective welfare without ideological extremism.[9][19][17]Stances on Autonomy, Language Rights, and Regional Identity
Team K strongly advocates for the preservation, expansion, and strengthening of South Tyrol's autonomy, viewing it as essential to counter encroachments from Italy's central government in Rome. In a September 4, 2021, press release coinciding with Autonomy Day, the party called for making autonomy more effective through proactive defense against national-level interventions that undermine provincial competencies, such as in fiscal policy and administrative powers.[20][21] The party emphasizes Austria's role as a protective power under the 1946 Gruber-De Gasperi Agreement and subsequent international protections, urging closer cooperation with Vienna to safeguard these rights.[22] Regarding language rights, Team K promotes enhanced multilingualism to foster integration while respecting the province's linguistic diversity, encompassing German, Italian, and Ladin speakers. The party has proposed introducing the European School model in South Tyrol, which emphasizes trilingual education (German, Italian, and English) from an early age, but this initiative was rejected by the South Tyrolean People's Party (SVP)-dominated provincial council in a session prior to 2023.[23][24] Team K supports policies ensuring equal access to services and education in all official languages, critiquing rigid ethnic-language separations in favor of flexible, competence-based approaches that align with EU standards.[24] On regional identity, Team K frames South Tyrolean identity around civic participation, transparency, and shared democratic values rather than strict ethnic affiliations, distinguishing itself from traditional parties like the SVP. The party seeks to cultivate a unified regional consciousness through direct democracy mechanisms, such as citizen initiatives, and by prioritizing local needs over national or ethnic divisions.[22] This stance reflects their origins as a civic list, appealing to voters across linguistic groups disillusioned with consociational ethnic quotas, while still defending cultural protections embedded in the autonomy statute.[25]Economic, Environmental, and Social Policies
Team K advocates for a balanced approach to economic policy emphasizing fair wages, adaptation to living costs, and labor flexibility. The party proposes introducing a "Südtirol-Lohn" mechanism to combat relative poverty by linking wages to regional economic conditions.[17] It also calls for adjusting public sector salaries in line with inflation and living expenses, alongside negotiating collective bargaining agreements that prioritize flexible working hours and sector-tailored incentives to boost competitiveness.[17] These measures reflect a social-liberal orientation, aiming to sustain South Tyrol's high employment rates—around 4.5% unemployment in 2023—while addressing income disparities without heavy regulatory burdens.[17] In environmental policy, Team K prioritizes ecological protection, asserting that landscape preservation, biodiversity, and public health must supersede short-term economic gains.[26] The party supports phasing out fossil fuels gradually and positioning South Tyrol as a leader in sustainable development through neo-ecological models that integrate economy, ecology, and society.[26] Key proposals include expanding rail and public transport infrastructure to reduce emissions, implementing a detailed climate action plan incorporating social and business transition strategies, and enforcing "zero kilometer" sourcing in public procurement alongside circular economy principles.[17] Recent initiatives, such as advocating for citizen involvement in environmental decisions and sustainable tourism limits to curb overcrowding at natural sites, underscore commitments to biodiversity and long-term habitability.[27][28] Social policies focus on housing affordability, healthcare efficiency, and family support, with targets like constructing 4,000 middle-income homes by 2030 to address shortages amid rising property prices averaging €4,500 per square meter in Bolzano.[17] Team K seeks to streamline housing subsidies to three months for processing and one month for payments post-approval, while eliminating tax incentives for short-term tourist rentals to favor long-term tenancies and introducing a guarantor fund for landlords and tenants.[17] In healthcare, it pushes for equitable compensation and training for staff, networked IT systems across hospitals and general practitioners, and higher care allowances with reformed assessments to shorten wait times—currently up to nine months despite legal 60-day mandates.[17][29] Education reforms emphasize systemic overhauls in response to teacher shortages and protests, alongside reduced bureaucracy for volunteer organizations and enhanced support for families and disabled individuals.[4][17]Electoral Performance
Provincial Council Elections
Team K first contested provincial council elections in South Tyrol on October 21, 2018, shortly after its founding earlier that year. Running as Team Köllensperger, the party secured 15.2% of the valid list votes, earning 6 seats out of 35 in the Provincial Council.[30] This result positioned it as the second-largest party by vote share, outperforming established competitors and reflecting voter dissatisfaction with traditional groupings amid debates over regional autonomy and governance efficiency.[31] In the subsequent election on October 22, 2023, Team K maintained its representation with 6 seats in the Provincial Council.[32] The party fielded 35 candidates across South Tyrol's districts, emphasizing continuity in its opposition role despite internal adjustments following prior resignations.[33] This steady performance occurred against a backdrop of declining support for the dominant Südtiroler Volkspartei (SVP), which lost seats, while Team K preserved its legislative influence without coalition entanglements.[10] The party's electoral approach has consistently prioritized direct engagement with voters on issues like transparency and provincial administration, contributing to its sustained minority presence in the council. No further provincial elections have occurred as of 2025, with the next scheduled for 2028.European Parliament Elections
Team K participated in the 2024 European Parliament elections through an electoral alliance with Azione, forming part of the national "Siamo Europei" list, which emphasized liberal, reformist, and pro-European positions. This agreement, announced on April 5, 2024, allowed Team K to field Paul Köllensperger, the party's president, as a candidate in the North-Eastern constituency, encompassing Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol.[34][35] The "Siamo Europei" list secured 3.91% of the national vote on June 8–9, 2024, translating to three seats in the European Parliament under the Renew Europe group. Köllensperger received approximately 11,251 preference votes, largely concentrated in South Tyrol, reflecting Team K's regional base but falling short of the threshold needed for election, as seats were assigned based on higher national preference totals to other list candidates such as Carlo Calenda and Alessandra Moretti.[36][37]Leadership and Internal Organization
Key Figures and Leadership Transitions
Paul Köllensperger, an entrepreneur and former affiliate of the Five Star Movement, founded Team K on July 10, 2018, initially naming it Team Köllensperger after his election to the South Tyrolean Provincial Council earlier that year.[9][38] Köllensperger has remained the party's leader and chairperson of its parliamentary group since inception, guiding its interethnic, citizen-focused platform.[9][39] In November 2019, the party transitioned from its personal branding as Team Köllensperger to the neutral Team K, reflecting a shift toward collective representation rather than individual prominence.[1] This rebranding coincided with efforts to expand beyond Köllensperger's persona while maintaining his central role. No subsequent changes to the top leadership have occurred, with Köllensperger continuing as the primary figurehead. Prominent figures alongside Köllensperger include provincial councilors Franz Ploner, Alex Ploner, and Maria Elisabeth Rieder, who contribute to the party's legislative activities and public advocacy.[40] In February 2024, Team K elected a renewed executive board (Vorstand) during its general assembly in Brixen, enhancing internal motivation and future-oriented governance without altering the core leadership.[41] This update followed electoral gains and aimed at bolstering organizational resilience.
