“The Guardian” (London):
“The latest allegations could put a fresh strain on the coalition of the VP with the Greens, which had already come under pressure because of an earlier scandal. The Ibiza affair (…) led to the spectacular collapse of Kurz’s previous coalition with the right-wing party FP led. (…) For the moment, however, Green politicians have remained cautious about the latest allegations that come just after the government has presented a CO2 tax as part of its ‘co-social’ tax reform. “
“The Financial Times” (London):
“The investigation is essentially about whether counterfeit invoices were issued in the Ministry of Finance in order to channel 1.2 million euros in government funding to pro-Kurz media when Kurz was foreign minister in 2016 and 2017. At that time, Kurz positioned himself to take over the leadership of the VP. (…) Analysts say the investigation would likely deepen the problems for the coalition government made up of the People’s Party and the Greens since this year a sticking point in the relationship within the coalition. The new investigation by the WKStA is by far more serious. “
“Politician” (Brssel):
“The raids and accusations add to an existing number of scandals which Kurz and his closest allies have exaggerated and which they have not rejected at all – including investigations into corruption in the VP and the notorious Ibiza affair.”
“Le Figaro” (Paris):
“Sebastian Kurz is already the subject of investigations into alleged false testimony before a parliamentary committee on corruption, but so far he has not been charged multiply those in power with the judiciary. “
Video: Analysis by ORF-1 editor-in-chief Geier
“L’Express” (Paris):
“The Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz has new trouble with the judiciary. Subscribing to scandals in Austria, he is now the target of corruption investigations. According to the public prosecutor’s office, praiseworthy articles and favorable opinion polls for him were received in return for advertisements from the finance ministry, which was already VP-led at the time published. “
“Sddeutsche Zeitung” (Munich):
“When it was only about the accusation of false testimony before the Ibiza committee of inquiry in parliament, Austria’s Chancellor Sebastian Kurz was cool: That would fizzle out; he would remain in office if there was an indictment. Whether that would have been ethically and politically correct – This question should be his smallest problem since Wednesday. Should the latest and hammer-hard accusations of the corruption prosecutor, who already leads numerous proceedings against politicians from Kurz’s ruling party VP, prove to be true, it would be – legally – about aiding and abetting embezzlement and bribery, and ethically if it were about the manipulation of public opinion and thus of democratic decision-making. (…)
Media virtually bought with public advertisements – this has been a system in Austria for a long time; but because all governments benefited from it, it was never reformed. Chancellor Kurz has poured out more money through well-meaning media than anyone before him; he is probably buying some of his popularity with it. There are now indications that this method might even have made it into the Chancellery. The weekly newspaper ‘Falter’ speaks of ‘corruption on a grand scale’ – and refers to the concrete suspicions of the public prosecutors. But corruption on a large scale is also the promotion of the media in Austria, pouring money on tabloids and feeding quality media with crumbs. First of all, the fate of Sebastian Kurz and the possible failure of his government will make the headlines; It is easy to imagine that there will be new elections. But then the ad corruption must be stopped. It’s nothing more than paid propaganda. “
“Handelsblatt” (Dsseldorf):
“Rumors that a new thunderstorm was brewing about Austria’s ruling party VP and Federal Chancellor Sebastian Kurz had been brewing since September. On Wednesday morning the time had come: the Public Prosecutor’s Office and Corruption Prosecutor (WKStA) searched the VP party headquarters in Vienna and the Chancellery. The story is confused, but throws a spotlight on Austria’s political culture and the ‘System Kurz’. (…) The news shook Austria’s already badly damaged political system again. “
“Die Welt” (Berlin):
“The increasingly escalating conflict between the Austrian Chancellor and the Economic and Corruption Public Prosecutor’s Office (WKStA) is no longer a guerrilla war with the raids on Wednesday. Above all, however, these house searches opened a whole new chapter in the corruption investigations against Kurz and his environment open: The accusation this time is bribery, corruption and infidelity. “
“La Stampa” (Turin):
“Austria is confronted with a kind of ‘House of Cards’ from 2016, when Kurz was still a young foreign minister with high hopes who wanted to rejuvenate the VP. The VP attacks the judiciary and thus embarrasses the Green coalition partners. Kurz Resists, but a political crisis could arise in Vienna that would shake a Kurz government for the second time in four years. “
“La Repubblica” (Roma):
“The investigation into Ibiza-Gate is now also reaching Federal Chancellor Kurz. The confiscated smartphones have turned into a gold mine. They have contributed to the disclosure of a system of favors, conspiracies and retaliatory actions involving the youngest European prime minister, which even Musils Kakanien would not have can occur. “
“Il Manifesto” (Roma):
“Political earthquake in Austria: The noose around Kurz, which has been investigated for months, is tightening. He is now not only confronted with the suspicion of false testimony in connection with the Ibiza affair. He is now also facing corruption on a large scale Style accused, as evidenced by the thousands of chats and the public funds used to fund fake surveys. “
“Corriere della Sera” (Mailand):
“The investigation into Kurz is a heavy blow for the Chancellor, against whom an investigation into false statements in the so-called Ibiza affair is already underway. Austria’s politics are in turmoil, the VP rejects the allegations. The devastating pact with the publisher Fellner is supposed to have promoted Kurz ‘political advancement. “
“The Messenger” (Rom):
“The new scandal is causing further turmoil in the already tense relations in the coalition of VP and Greens, which came into being after the overthrow of the first Kurz government. The blow for the political phenomenon Kurz, star of the European conservatives, is hard and hits the Chancellor during his visit to Slovenia. “
