Corruption in Austria: Alarming results of the new index!

Corruption in Austria: Alarming results of the new index!

The current corruption perception index (CPI) from Transparency International has provided alarming results for Austria. According to the latest data, Austria fell in 25th place and has lost five places, which is considered a catastrophic sign of the organization "Clean Hands - Stop Corruption". Ursula Bittner, the spokeswoman for the initiative, criticizes the leaked negotiation protocol of the "blue-black" negotiations, which shows no effective measures against corruption. Bittner warns that politics would have to react to the terrifying result of the CPI in order to regain the trust of voters. The CPI shows a worrying perception of corruption in the political and administrative structures of the country and underlines the urgent need to act against these grievances, especially with a view to the National Council elections that take place on September 29, 2024

important details on the negotiations

In the said protocol, it is also noted that the FPÖ rejects an independent Attorney General and instead favors a federal prosecutor. Experts rate this decision as non -issue -free and therefore potentially problematic. In addition, the protection of references who play a key role in the fight against corruption is completely ignored in the document. Further concerns include the planned deletion of the ORF household levy, which could bring public service broadcasting into a dependency on politics, which would endanger the quality of journalism.

Germany, also in the focus of the CPI, shows similar trends. With 75 points, Germany dropped a total of three points in 2024 and now occupies the 15th place in an international comparison. Alexandra Herzog of Transparency Germany emphasizes that this development underlines the urgent need for reforms in areas such as party financing and freedom of information. The inadequate regulations in these areas endanger a fair political competition and reduce the trust of citizens in democracy. A lack of transparency and strategic corruption continue to represent major challenges, as the example of the AfD shows that is the focus of criticism.

The CPI represents a global benchmark for assessing corruption and evaluates 180 countries. The alarming results for Europe show that only six of the 31 rated countries in the region have experienced an improvement, while 19 countries, including Austria and Germany, have dropped. The connection between corruption and the climate crisis was particularly emphasized, since impaired measures in international climate policy clearly indicate inadequate integrity and transparency. Developments illustrate the need to take effective measures against corruption in the near future.