Mahrer under pressure: Charge for Vienna election! What does that mean for the ÖVP?

Mahrer under pressure: Charge for Vienna election! What does that mean for the ÖVP?

The election campaign in Vienna is overshadowed by a huge scandal: ÖVP boss Karl Mahrer and the Donaustärt district head Ernst Nevrivy (SPÖ) are faced with serious charges in the "Vienna value" causa. This was confirmed by the Economic and Corruption Prosecutor's Office (WKSTA) after months of speculation. Mahrer, although he defends his candidacy for the election on April 27, 2025, sees himself in the middle of this storm surge, as the Krone reported.

The allegations against Mahrer contain infidelity. It is about payments to the PR company of his wife, who received just under 85,000 euros from the insolvent Vienna value over a period of seven months without performing appropriate services. In another dimension, Nevrivy also shows serious suspicions because he is said to have passed on information about property transactions and sponsorship, such as MeinDZIRD noted.

indictment and pressure on the ÖVP

The charges are the result of lengthy investigations, in which a total of up to 31 million euros in damage is up for debate. There are also several lawyers and an auditor among the accused, which significantly underlines the dimension of the scandal. Mahrer, who renewed his promise to compete as a top candidate for the ÖVP in the Vienna election, must now face the legal challenges. Meanwhile, the mood within the party is tense: surveys show concerns of consent rates of only 10 percent for the ÖVP, which further increases the pressure on Mahrer.

The strategic decisions of the ÖVP are also overlaid by internal power struggles, in which numerous prominent mandatars have been deleted from the list of candidates. The departure of Christian Klar, who was no longer set up as a district vice, reflects the strict candy cutting that takes place in the background. Whether Mahrer can still convince the voter class despite this allegations made against him remains to be seen in view of the impending party crises.