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Austrian ex-chancellor Kurz dismisses new graft claims

Austrian ex-chancellor Sebastian Kurz on Friday dismissed the latest allegations against him as "fictious," a day after prosecutors raided a tabloid on suspicion of corruption.

Published: 31 March 2023 16:26 CEST
Austrian ex-chancellor Kurz dismisses new graft claims
Austria's former Chancellor Sebastian Kurz speaks to the media as he arrives to meet Austria's President at Hofburg Palace in Vienna on October 7, 2021. (Photo by ALEX HALADA / AFP)

Kurz — once hailed as a “wunderkind” of Europe’s conservatives — resigned from the top post in 2021 amid a string of wide-ranging corruption scandals.

Investigators on Thursday raided the Vienna office of free-of-charge tabloid Heute on suspicion it published flattering articles in exchange for public adverts.

Kurz and several others are being investigated on suspicion of corruption, prosecutors said in a statement late Thursday. The Heute raid is reportedly based on extensive testimony given by Thomas Schmid, a former finance ministry official and Kurz ally.

BACKGROUND: Austria’s Sebastian Kurz implicated by former ally in corruption scandal

Schmid, who is seeking to be a witness in the case, told prosecutors that Kurz knew of the embezzlement of public funds between 2016 and 2018 in order to promote his rise, according to media leaks.

“The statements by Thomas Schmid that incriminate me are fictitious,” Kurz said on Facebook, accusing Schmid of trying “to obtain witness status by making allegations against others and so avoid punishment himself”.

Heute publisher Eva Dichand has also dismissed the claim she “would have agreed to positive coverage in exchange for advertisements” as “false”. Another tabloid, Oesterreich, is also suspected of having published rigged polls in favour of Kurz in exchange for lucrative public adverts.

READ ALSO: ‘Reforms needed urgently’: Is Austria becoming more corrupt?

Kurz, 36, is also already under investigation over providing false testimony to a parliamentary committee probing graft allegations. 

Austrian politics has been rocked by a string of graft scandals that already brought down Kurz’s first government with the far-right. Though Kurz has resigned, his People’s Party (OeVP) remains in power, currently governing with the Greens.

Kurz is now involved in numerous private international enterprises, including launching a cybersecurity company with the ex-head of Israel’s NSO Group, which makes controversial Pegasus spyware.

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POLITICS

Reader question: Can I vote in Austria’s national elections?

Austria’s national elections are scheduled for September 29th, but not everyone will have a say. Find out who can vote in these crucial elections and how foreigners can still make their voices heard.

Published: 20 September 2024 09:57 CEST
Reader question: Can I vote in Austria's national elections?

On September 29th, Austria will hold its highly anticipated national elections to elect a new parliament, marking a crucial moment for the country’s political future. 

The election comes at a time of growing political polarisation, with the far-right Freedom Party (FPÖ) leading in the polls, followed closely by the centre-right Austrian People’s Party (ÖVP). The centre-left Social Democratic Party (SPÖ) remains in third place, trailing behind its rivals.

READ ALSO: Austrian elections: Who could be the next chancellor?

As political tensions rise and critical issues like immigration and inflation dominate the discourse, these elections could significantly shift Austria’s political landscape. 

However, while the stakes are high, a large segment of the population won’t be able to vote, mainly because of Austria’s restrictive citizenship laws. 

Who can vote in Austria’s national elections?

The only people allowed to vote in Austrian federal elections are Austrian citizens aged 16 or above. This means foreigners – even those who have lived in Austria for decades – are not entitled to vote unless they have acquired Austrian citizenship. 

The country’s strict naturalisation process typically requires at least ten years of legal residence and a high income. Applicants must also give up their original nationality, as dual citizenship is rarely permitted.

While Austria is home to a large foreign-born population, many cannot participate in the political process. In Vienna, for example, as many as one in three residents of voting age cannot vote due to their non-Austrian citizenship. This leaves around 1.5 million people nationwide unable to vote in the upcoming elections, representing around 19 percent of the population aged 16 and over.

READ ALSO: What makes Austrian citizenship so hard to get?

How can foreigners “vote” in the elections?

A symbolic alternative for the many residents excluded from Austria’s national elections has been offered: the “Pass Egal” election, organised by the non-governmental organisation SOS Mitmensch. Since 2013, the Pass Egal election has given foreigners a platform to ‘vote’ and express their political preferences.

The Pass Egal election is open to anyone aged 16 or older who lives in Austria but does not have Austrian citizenship. Even Austrians who wish to show solidarity with non-voters can participate. This symbolic election gives a voice to those otherwise excluded from official polls, allowing them to vote for the parties running in the National Council elections.

In 2022, for example, more than 8,500 people from 86 countries participated in a mock election for federal president. 

While the vote doesn’t impact the actual elections, it highlights the political engagement of Austria’s foreign residents and adds visibility to the debate on voting rights and citizenship reform.

READ MORE: How foreigners can ‘vote’ in the Austrian national elections

What’s at stake in Austria’s national elections?

This year’s elections will shape the composition of Austria’s National Council and influence the country’s future political direction.

With the FPÖ leading in the polls, the possibility of a far-right resurgence is a crucial issue, while the ÖVP and SPÖ are working to gain ground in what is expected to be a highly competitive election.

For the large segment of Austria’s population that is excluded from voting due to the country’s citizenship laws, the Pass Egal election provides a way to engage politically, even if only symbolically. 

As the number of non-citizen residents in Austria grows, the debate over expanding voting rights to non-citizens and making the naturalisation process more accessible will continue.

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