Tibor Zenker, chairman of the Party of Labour of Austria, dies at 50

The Party of Labour of Austria (Partei der Arbeit Österreichs, PdA) announced the sudden and unexpected death of its chairman, Tibor Zenker, at the age of 50, marking a significant loss for the communist movement in Austria and across Europe.

According to the party’s official publication, Zenker passed away on 16 April 2026. His death has caused deep shock among his comrades, as he had been at the forefront of efforts to rebuild and consolidate a revolutionary communist party in Austria under demanding political conditions.

A leading figure in the PdA since its founding, Zenker played a decisive role in shaping its ideological and political direction. As chairman, he was closely associated with the party’s commitment to Marxism–Leninism, its intervention in the workers’ movement, and its participation in international communist coordination initiatives. Party sources underline that his contribution extended beyond organizational leadership to include a sustained theoretical and political output, reflecting his engagement with key questions facing the contemporary communist movement.

Zenker was widely regarded as a central figure in the effort to rebuild a consistent communist pole in Austria, combining political clarity with active involvement in international processes aimed at strengthening cooperation among communist and workers’ parties.

The sudden loss of Tibor Zenker leaves a notable gap in the ranks of communist forces in Europe, particularly among those striving to rebuild a coherent and ideologically grounded Marxist–Leninist movement under contemporary conditions.

Condolence Message by KKE General Secretary Dimitris Koutsoumbas

A message of condolence was issued by Dimitris Koutsoumpas, General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE), emphasizing Zenker’s contribution to the communist movement:

“With great sadness, we bid farewell to Comrade Tibor Zenker, President of the Party of Labour of Austria, who passed away prematurely at the age of 50. Comrade Tibor was one of the key pioneers in the effort to reconstruct the communist movement in Austria along a revolutionary path. As a member of the Political Bureau and later as Party President, he contributed decisively to its formation and development under difficult conditions, to its ideological and political orientation, and to the class organization of the struggle of the working class, in the fight for socialism.

He made an important contribution to the formation of both the European Communist Initiative and later the European Communist Action, as well as to the ideological and political struggle against opportunism in Austria and to the revolutionary regroupment of the communist movement, placing particular emphasis on the consistent stance and tasks of communists in imperialist war.

During his short life, he distinguished himself through a rich body of written work, including theoretical and political books, novellas and novels.

We express our sincere condolences to his family and to his comrades in the Party of Labour of Austria.”

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