Read news from:
Austria
SHARE
COPY LINK

POLITICS

Austria president urges reforms after fresh graft revelations

Austria's president Alexander Van der Bellen on Thursday called for wide-ranging reforms of the country's political culture following fresh revelations over a graft scandal, which led then-chancellor Sebastian Kurz to resign last year.

Published: 20 October 2022 18:19 CEST
Austria president urges reforms after fresh graft revelations
Austria's President Alexander van der Bellen addresses journalists at Hofburg Palace. (Photo by Joe Klamar / AFP)

Austrian politics has been rocked by a series of corruption scandals with Kurz’s resignation in 2021 marking a spectacular fall for a politician who had been hailed as the “Wunderkind” of Europe’s conservatives.

In statements to federal prosecutors leaked to media and reported on Tuesday, Thomas Schmid, a former senior official of the Austrian finance ministry and close aide of the ex-chancellor, incriminated Kurz and his conservative People’s Party (OeVP) by accusing them of misappropriating public money to pay for polls, which were skewed to boost Kurz’s image.

“We need a complete overhaul,” President Alexander Van der Bellen said in a televised address on Thursday, alluding to Austria’s political culture being repeatedly tainted by corruption.

“A transparent, comprehensible and, above all, perceptible general restructuring… is needed.”

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

“This is about democracy in our home country and trust in democracy, which is once again being massively shaken,” he added, calling corruption “a paralysing poison”.

According to Van der Bellen, new legislative elections are not justified at the moment.

Schmid, himself implicated in the major corruption scandal, had approached federal prosecutors in April, requesting to be a key witness, the state economic crime and corruption prosecutor (WKStA) said on Tuesday.

Since June, Schmid has been interrogated for “15 full days” by the federal prosecutors, they said.

‘Order from Kurz’

According to the testimony, Kurz allegedly knew that the polls aimed at helping him win the OeVP’s chairmanship and the chancellor’s office were funded by the Austrian finance ministry.

“Yes, he was aware of that… I only implemented this tool because I received the order from Kurz”, Schmid said referring to the commissioned polls.

“I promoted Kurz and the OeVP through the federal ministry of finance, used the resources of it to support the advancement of the OeVP under Sebastian Kurz,” Schmid added.

Schmid alleged Kurz also asked him to make a statement to exonerate Kurz of all blame.

READ ALSO: Austrian presidential elections: What exactly does the president do?

Kurz had countered his former ally’s “false accusations” by supplying to the WKStA a recording of a phone conservation between the two of them.

Kurz has announced that he would take legal action against Schmid.

The current scandal erupted in October 2021 when prosecutors ordered raids at the chancellery and the finance ministry while investigating allegations that Kurz’s inner circle used public money to pay for favourable polls.

BACKGROUND: EXPLAINED: Why was Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz forced to resign?

Prosecutors also suspect that in return for the polls, and fawning coverage of Kurz, tabloid Oesterreich received lucrative public adverts.

Kurz resigned in October and left politics in December, with his former interior minister now running the country.

Member comments

Log in here to leave a comment.
Become a Member to leave a comment.
For members

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.

SHOW COMMENTS