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Mahrer under pressure: indictment before the Vienna election! What does this mean for the ÖVP?
Karl Mahrer, ÖVP Vienna leader, will be charged with breach of trust before the 2025 Vienna elections. The impact on electoral chances is unclear.
Mahrer under pressure: indictment before the Vienna election! What does this mean for the ÖVP?
The election campaign in Vienna is overshadowed by a huge scandal: ÖVP leader Karl Mahrer and Donaustadt district leader Ernst Nevrivy (SPÖ) are facing serious charges in the “Wienwert” case. The Economic and Corruption Public Prosecutor's Office (WKStA) confirmed this after months of speculation. Mahrer, although he is defending his candidacy for the election on April 27, 2025, finds himself in the middle of this storm crown reported.
The allegations against Mahrer include infidelity. This concerns payments to his wife's PR company, which received almost 85,000 euros from the insolvent Wienwert over a period of seven months without providing any corresponding services. Looking at it from a different perspective, Nevrivy also shows serious suspicions, as he is said to have passed on information about real estate deals and sponsorships MyDistrict noted.
Accusation 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 at stake. The defendants also include several lawyers and an auditor, which significantly underlines the dimensions of the scandal. Mahrer, who renewed his promise to run as the ÖVP's top candidate in the Vienna election, now has to face legal challenges at the same time. Meanwhile, the mood within the party is tense: polls show worrying approval ratings of just 10 percent for the ÖVP, which further increases the pressure on Mahrer.
The ÖVP's strategic decisions are also overshadowed by internal power struggles, in which numerous prominent representatives were removed from the list of candidates. The departure of Christian Klar, who was no longer appointed as district vice-president, reflects the strict candy-cutting that takes place in the background. Given the impending party crises, it remains to be seen whether Mahrer can still convince the electorate despite these allegations against him.