It is not the first time that there have been attempts by the ÖVP camp to drag the corruption investigation against Sebastian Kurz and his team into twilight.
But the latest episode is particularly strange: The legal protection officer Gabriele Aicher, a kind of ombudswoman for the judiciary, harshly attacked the Economic and Corruption Prosecutor's Office (WKStA) at the end of October: the corruption hunters would have crossed "red lines" in their investigations against Kurz and the other accused in the complex of allegedly bought reports and fudged surveys.
Aicher packed the anger in an official complaint and a corresponding press release. Kurz-loyalists had every reason to be happy: the furor of the high-ranking, independent lawyer seemed to confirm allegations that supporters of the conservative party leader had long brought against investigators.
But Aicher's attack came about in a dubious way, as joint research by SPIEGEL and STANDARD revealed.
The legal protection officer, who was only appointed a few months ago, received piquant help in her attack on the corruption hunters: She was supported by the law firm that Gerald Fleischmann represents - the man for the rough, top spin doctor and confidante of the ex-chancellor.
The metadata of a press release by Aicher shows that the document was created in the firm.
At the request of SPIEGEL and STANDARD, Aicher admitted the connection - whereby she got entangled in contradictions.
The unveiling of the research network on Friday evening was followed by calls for resignation from the opposition to Aicher, who has now been summoned by Justice Minister Alma Zadic (Greens).
The three-year legal protection officer can only be recalled prematurely with difficulty, but it is questionable whether, in view of this devastating appearance, she can continue to carry out her high office.
Do other rules apply to the government?
The fuss about the legal protection officer covered another topic at the weekend that has to do with Kurz, but is consistently positive: his partner Susanne Thier gave birth to their son on Saturday: the boy's name is Konstantin.
Mother and child are fine.
The young father's reputation suffered not only because of the corruption affair.
Kurz's most recently unrealistic course in corona politics, his false message of the "mastered" pandemic, continues to erode his reputation and shrink his comeback chances.
But even the current government is leaving a bad impression these days: While the people in Austria have to accept massive restrictions on their lives as a result of the lockdown, ultimately due to a poorly forward-looking policy, the traditional charity gala »Licht ins Dunkel« was pulled through - and how: Without a face mask, the top of the state celebrated to live music at the ORF headquarters.
Chancellor Alexander Schallenberg (ÖVP) clapped standing next to his green Vice Chancellor Werner Kogler.
Even the otherwise always cautious Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen and his wife shuffled along while the nation, which was simmering in lockdown, could watch them on television.
The appearance is devastating, and notices that special security measures were in place are of little help.
The turmoil in social networks is palpable. The impression arises: Different rules apply to the political leaders than to the starving population. This is grist to the mills of corona deniers who have demonstrated again in Austria in the past few days and are becoming more and more radical in Germany. A local politician of the conservative ÖVP has now reported several top politicians for disregarding the Corona rules at the charity event - including party friends like the Federal Chancellor.
Despite all the mistakes, hesitation and clumsiness, the rulers would have a chance to gain something positive from the dramatic development of the last few weeks.
The compulsory vaccination, which was decided in the greatest need and should apply from February, could make the country shine a bit in retrospect: Austria is taking this step forward within the EU.
It is a laboratory test that will be looked at in Berlin, Paris and elsewhere.
more on the subject
Deadlines, fines - and, if necessary, imprisonment: How Austria wants to implement mandatory vaccinationBy Walter Mayr
Should the regulation prevail, the red-white-red policy, otherwise not particularly courageous to make unpopular decisions, could claim to be avant-garde.
And, very importantly: Germany, too, was oriented towards Austria, not the other way around.
In fact, most people in the neighboring country to the north would already be in favor of compulsory vaccination, according to a SPIEGEL survey.
Social media moment of the week
The former Vice Chancellor and FPÖ boss Heinz-Christian Strache, who stumbled over the Ibiza affair, has published a book about his fall that contains numerous wild theories and in which he fights against former comrades-in-arms.
Some corruption investigations have been dropped against him, but other trials will bankrupt him because of legal fees, Strache said.
Therefore, he asks for donations - whereupon a craftsman offered the right-wing populist a job as a roofer assistant: The video in which the Turkish-born craftsman suggests that Strache could haul bags of rubble for 2000 euros quickly spread via social networks.
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Ironically, the lawyers of Sebastian Kurz's ex-Spindoctor were involved when the Viennese corruption investigators were attacked.
This is shown by research by SPIEGEL and STANDARD.
The opposition senses partiality.
Here's the full story: Who is behind the attacks on the Kurz investigators?
The widespread skepticism against corona immunization is, at least in Austria, also for historical reasons: Figures like the Tyrolean freedom fighters around Andreas Hofer railed against vaccinations that came into the country with the Bavarian-French occupiers.
Here is a look back at the centuries-old debate
Even if the overall incidence in Germany is significantly lower than in Austria, the situation is similar in the Bavarian border regions.
Here you will find a report from the badly affected Mühldorf am Inn, where entrepreneurs and administration are struggling with the regional lockdown: "The fourth wave is currently growing into a tsunami"
The designated traffic light coalition in Germany is intensifying thought games in Austria about an alliance of social democrats, the Greens and the liberal NEOS.
The political analyst Peter Plaikner imagines such a red-green-pink shadow cabinet.
More backgrounds here: Red-Green-Pink?
Personnel for a threesome
"Inside Austria": The finale of the podcast on Sebastian Kurz
With the sixth podcast episode on the rise and fall of Sebastian Kurz, we document how the conservative initially loses his office as a result of the Ibiza affair - only to then manage to take advantage of the scandal and take on his second chancellorship all the more powerfully.
You can also hear how Kurz and his people begin to attack the corruption prosecutors - until at the end of their investigations he cost him his office.
The podcast cooperation between SPIEGEL and STANDARD does not end with this last episode about Kurz.
“Inside Austria” continues after a short break on December 11th - with a government failure that keeps Austria in suspense.
And beyond that, we will in future deal with the most important topics, scandals and abysses in Austria on a weekly basis.
Sincerely
yours, Oliver Das Gupta
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So that you are not surprised: Up until now we have sent the newsletter on Mondays, the new publication date is Tuesday.