10 weeks before the election

Charges of embezzlement against ÖVP Vienna leader Mahrer

For ÖVP Vienna leader Karl Mahrer, things are getting serious now, just a few weeks before the Vienna elections.

(Bild: APA/GEORG HOCHMUTH)

In the midst of the political turbulence of the past few days, the next bombshell: ÖVP Vienna leader Karl Mahrer has been charged with embezzlement - together with his wife. This has been decided by the Ministry of Justice. Within the ÖVP, however, there is still no need for action.

Just ten weeks before the important Vienna elections on April 27, 2025, the Vienna People's Party and its top candidate are now facing trouble: Karl Mahrer, the leader of the ÖVP Vienna, has been charged with suspected embezzlement in the so-called Causa Wienwert, as reported by the platform Zackzack.at. Specifically, the case concerns Charisma Gesellschaft für Handel und Öffentlichkeitsarbeit GmbH, a PR agency run by his wife Christine. Mahrer himself has always denied the serious allegations against him. The presumption of innocence applies. 

Under investigation for several years
The 69-year-old took over the Vienna People's Party in December 2021 following the resignation of former Finance Minister Gernot Blümel. The WKStA (Economic and Corruption Prosecutor's Office) has been investigating Mahrer in the Wienwert case since May 2022 on suspicion of incitement to breach of trust. Wienwert AG was a real estate development company that went bankrupt at the beginning of 2018. In October 2024, a project report was forwarded to the Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, and in February 2025 the WKStA received a response from the higher authorities.

ÖVP Vienna: "No need for personnel consequences"
"This case has been under investigation by the WKStA for over three years - without any new findings or concrete evidence of misconduct by Karl Mahrer. The fact that this case is being played up again right now, in the middle of the Vienna election campaign, is remarkable," said Peter Sverak, regional managing director of the ÖVP Vienna. A functioning constitutional state needs thorough investigations - but also an objective and swift clarification, the written statement continues. Sverak: "The fact that charges are now being brought is incomprehensible in view of the factual and legal situation. Mahrer is convinced that the independent court will also determine this."

List of candidates will not be decided until next week
In an internal communication to the provincial party executive of the Vienna People's Party as well as to the employees of the provincial party, the following is already stated: "The consultancy contract between Christine Mahrer's PR agency and Wienwert AG was approved by the responsible supervisory board, without any defects, as even the WKStA stated. There are no indications that Karl Mahrer was involved in the conclusion of the contract, let alone that there was any misconduct. We stand united behind Karl Mahrer and will not be distracted from our work for Vienna by questionable judicial actions." The ÖVP Vienna sees "no need" for personal consequences. Incidentally, the list of candidates for the municipal council and district council elections will not be decided until next week.